Out of the Blue
by kathey'ssis
Summary: Everone can make a decision if they have time to think about it but rescue workers rarely have that chance they have to deside how to deal with what ever comes out of the blue. Requested Sequeal to 'From Where Peace Comes' should read it first.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from station 51 but I fell in love with them and it is sure fun to invite them out to play. I often wonder what the actors that brought these characters to life for us would think if they read what was on this web sight.

Authors note. This is the requested Sequel to 'From Where Peace Comes', although I didn't think it was my best work I have to agree that it wasn't finished when I ended it. If you have not read 'From Where Peace Comes' I would recommend it before delving into this one because this one will make much more sense if you do.

Out of the Blue

Chapter 1

"Roll Call! Everyone line up," Captain Hank Stanley called out as he stepped between the trucks with his clip board in hand. Mike Stoker was the first one in line simply standing up from his seat on the running board of his prized fire engine where he was reading the letter he found taped to the door of his locker when he arrived for work that morning. As the rest of the crew filed in from the day room and locker room Mike kept his eyes glued to the multi page letter in his hand until he heard his captain clear his throat to get his attention. At which point he placed his thumb over the line he was reading at the time and place the pages behind his back as he turned his attention at least temporarily to his Captain.

Hank made frequent glances at his engineer between announcements and noticed something different about his appearance but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. Assignments were handed out and the crew dismissed as Mike didn't say a word just pulled his letter from behind his back and moved toward his assigned dorm duties reading as he walked.

"Hey Mikey, who's the letter from?" Chet chided following the engineer who simply gave the pesky lineman a sideways glance and a smile before turning back to his letter and continuing on.

Marco joined Chet in sneaking into the dorm to watch Mike finish his letter only to find him pulling the sheets and pillow cases from the beds in preparation of putting fresh linens on and getting the used ones out for the laundry pick up. It was clear by the smell of smoke on the sheets he was removing that the last shift had had a busy night and he was glad that he didn't have to sleep on their smoke filled sheets. He was just scooping up the soiled linens and stuffing them in the laundry bag when their first alarm of the day came in.

A motor vehicle accident with injuries. Mike led the way to the engine where he pulled his coat and hat on and climbed behind the wheel and waited for his captain to take his seat in the shotgun position before he pulled out behind the squad as they made their way to the address that was given.

There were three cars involved at speeds that had flipped one car on its top breaking off the fire hydrant that was now shooting water into the air and another one on its side. The third car was still on all four wheels. All three of the cars were leaking gas with two of the cars having three people each in them and the third only having two.

Captain Stanley's first act was to call for another station to assist and for four ambulances. Lopez and Kelly were quick to pull hose as Mike quickly hooked them up to the engine and charged the lines so that they could wash down the gas leaks. Once the water was running and the hose pressure steady Mike grabbed as much hose as he could shoulder and ran for the hydrant on the next corner. His engine would soon run out of water if he didn't hook up to a hydrant. Once he had the hydrant feeding into the engine three patients with minor injuries were guided to the running board of the engine for Mike to keep an eye on while the paramedics worried about those more seriously injured.

While keeping an eye on the gages out of the corner of his eye Mike kept busy splinting a broken arm and placing a dislocated shoulder in a sling before bandaging what had first appeared to be a minor scalp laceration. Before he was finished with the scalp laceration Mike noticed his dislocated shoulder patient slumping against the engine and quickly moved next to him checking a pulse.

With out really counting he noticed the rate was fast and weak. Mike quickly looked for the paramedics but found Roy franticly starting his second IV on one patient with a bystander holding pressure on a bleeder on another patient that also had two IV's running. Johnny had three patients that all looked serious and Cap and Kelly were working the Jaws to get them out of the car. Mike was on his own with this one at least until the second Squad arrived.

Mike carefully pulled the man into his shoulder and eased him onto the ground being careful not to cause any further injury to his shoulder. Once he had his patient laying flat he picked up his legs and rested them on the running board.

"I'm really getting dizzy here," Mike's head injury began to complain; "I think I'm going to throw up."

She did throw up, all down the front of Mike and it was all he could do to keep from throwing up all over her in return. Mike was helping her to the ground and to lay on her side as Marco shut off his hose to offer Roy a hand with his patients and the pressure on the gages started climbing to dangerous levels. Being quick on his feet Mike jumped to the pump levers and shut them down then returned to his patients where he managed to get vital signs taken and recorded, for his patient with the dislocated shoulder he wrote the information on the triangular bandage on his head injury patient he inked the information on her forearm. They were both going into shock.

Running to the squad to pull out some blankets Mike quickly covered his patients and made them as comfortable as he could before looking up to the welcomed sight of the second Squad arriving on scene from one direction while the first of the ambulances arrived from the other direction. As the newly arrived paramedics started running with their supplies toward the wrecked cars Mike waved one of them over to him as Roy moved his two patients into the first ambulance as the next two pulled into view.

In just a few minutes four ambulances were loaded with patients and headed for Rampart and the tow trucks were pulling in to their vacated positions. Chet was assigned to drive the squad to the hospital and before Mike helped Marco load the hose back on the truck he asked Marco to hose him down. Hank was startled by his engineer's request but it only took one good look to understand why and gave his lineman the go ahead nod.

Mike was starting to fasten up his turn out coat when he noticed that the vomit had managed to go down the front of his turn out and was also covering the front of his uniform. After the first pass with the hose Mike opened up his turn out and then caught sight of the papers sticking out of his front pocket and held his hand up to Marco.

"Cap, would you please take care of this for me." Mike requested as he reached in with two fingers and carefully pulled the letter from his pocket and handed it to his captain before letting Marco wash off his uniform. The time spent draining and reloading the hose was not sufficient to dry out Mike's uniform and as he got into the cab of the engine he was still a little green around the gills.

"Are you okay Mike?" Cap asked when he climbed in beside him.

"Yeah, nothing a shower and a clean uniform won't cure," Mike answered as he checked his mirrors and started the engine back to the station.

Glancing at the letter he was still holding for Mike and noticing the return address Hank chose to attempt to distract his engineer with it. "So how's Laura doing these days?"

Mike glanced to his captain and the letter he was waving at him and realized that he was just as much a friend as he was. "She's been released by her psychiatrists and has passed her psyche evaluation and been cleared to return to work. That organization she works for gave her twenty minutes to catch a plane to Nicaragua."

"I've heard of getting back in the saddle but that's ridiculous." Hank responded with the same feelings Mike had when he read the letter. "So how long will she be in Nicaragua?"

"She told them not so fast, that she had other plans." Mike finished with a hint of a smile as he glanced to his captain. "She's going to be in LA for a couple of days, she said she'd stop in and say hi."

"So when's she coming?"

"She said in the letter she didn't know for sure. She said she'd just have to surprise us."

"Well if she doesn't come in to the station be sure to tell her hi from all of us," Hank added and watched Mike blush at his remark.

Mike pulled up in front of the station and waited for Marco and Cap to get out of the engine and stop traffic so that Mike could back the engine into the bay and get it ready to go again.

Mike was backing the Engine across two lanes of stopped traffic when he was distracted by a loud engine sound over head. Looking toward the sound Mike saw a single engine airplane coming down over the top of him. He barely had enough time to duck his head in the cab of the engine as the plane came over the top of him. Glancing out the door window Mike noticed his crew mates were down on their knees watching as the plane touched down on the road about a hundred feet beyond the engine on the road that was now cleared of traffic behind the engine. As the plane started screeching to a stop, smoke coming from its tires, it was moving to fast to be able to stop before it reached the intersection and more traffic moving through the light. As Mike watched with horror the plane moving toward an unavoidable accident the door on the other side of the engine opened and the Captain climbed in, "Marco's in, lets move it."

Mike shifted the engine into forward and flipped the sirens and lights on as Captain Stanley picked up the Microphone from the Dash. "LA engine 51 we have an airplane making an emergency landing south bound on the street in front of the station. Dispatch another engine and a paramedic unit."

"10-4 51"

"Squad 51 responding to engine 51's accident ETA four minutes," Johnny's voice was heard over the radio as Mike cringed in anticipation of the imminent accident that was about to happen before his eyes. Mike blasted the air horn hoping the intersection traffic ahead would hear and stop allowing room for the plane to get through. Some of the cars listened and pulled to a stop but still others tried to hurry through before the engine got there.

As everyone in the engine held their breath the plane sped up and lifted off the ground once again, clipping the traffic light and skimming the top of a couple of cars crossing its path. As three firefighters took in a deep breath the plane cleared the intersection and set down again continuing to skid in an attempt to come to a stop. As Mike was maneuvering his engine through the cross traffic they all noticed that one of the tires on the landing gear burst from all the pressure and the plane was slowing. It would make it to a stop before the next intersection.

Cap and Marco bailed out of the engine and started running toward the downed plane as Mike pulled the engine on an angle and parked so that he cut off all oncoming traffic before joining the rest of the short handed crew.

By the time Mike had arrived at the plane Marco and Cap had pulled the doors open and Cap was talking to the person in the right hand seat.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Ask me that question in about fifteen minutes." The women in the seat replied in a winded voice as she smoothed a few strands of hair back on her head. She was wearing an official uniform that looked to be Air force from the back and on her shoulders were Major's clusters. Her hair was pulled back tight in a bun. Mike watched as she reached over and took hold of the other person's wrist and counted a pulse before touching her fingers to the temple of his head. "I need the first aid kit from the back seat." The woman called.

"I'll get it," Mike volunteered and quickly pulled the back hatch open and reached in. As he scanned for the first aid kit he first saw the suit case with a familiar looking teddy bear strapped to the side of it. The teddy bear was wearing a name tag identifying it as Camp Staff with the name of Mike.

"It's under the seat behind me." The woman directed as she was looking back, she then turned around again quickly, "Captain Stanley, we're carrying donor organs to be transplanted. Do you think you can get a couple of patrol cars to deliver them to Harbor Valley and St Anne hospitals for me?"

"On it," Captain Stanley stepped back and pulled the handy talkie from his belt as Mike stepped up with the first aid kit.

There he stood, still soaked from his fire hose shower, still covered with traces of puke, Hair out of place and uncombed and sitting in the cock pit in front of him was the person he had been excited to see since he received her letter, the very attractive, very impressive, Laura Elmer.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Laura flipped the first aid kit opened and pulled the largest bandages held with in it and applied it to the bleeding head wound on the pilot at her side with out paying notice to the person holding it. "What is the threat of fire in here?"

"I don't see any threat at all, Can you tell me what happened?" Captain Stanley continued to asses the situation at hand.

"No idea at this point, I was supposed to be the passenger. I was in the back seat with my mind in another plane of existence when I heard the windshield shatter and noticed the pilot was unconscious. It was all I could do to climb over the seat and try and set her down. Did anyone loose their heads back there?" Laura asked as she held pressure on the bleeding head wound.

"No, but we have a few tire marks on our helmets," Captain Stanley joked.

"Sorry about that, I'm going to need a back board, C collar, can anyone see the oxygen canister in here?" Laura rattled off. "Told you all I'd be sure to drop in if I was ever in the area."

"The squad should be here any minute, Marco get the oxygen off the engine," Hank ordered. "Mike was just telling me you were planning to surprise us but I didn't expect anything quit so dramatic."

"Me either, Ambulance?" Laura questioned as she applied the oxygen mask Marco handed her then started wrapping a bandage around the pilot's head.

"There's one on the way," Captain Stanley informed as the sound of sirens was heard moving in.

Before the squad could get through the traffic Johnny and Chet hopped out and grabbed the most used supplies from the compartments and ran between the cars to get to the downed plane. When he reached the pilot Johnny noticed that his patient was already bandaged and starting to come around.

"We're going to need a back board." Cap called out.

"I'll get it," Chet acknowledged and set what he had in his hands down and started jogging back to the squad. When he returned carrying the back board Roy was jogging along side of him and Captain Stanley carefully motioned him toward the other side of the plane and to Laura's aid.

"Excuse me Ma'am," Roy tried to pull Laura away from her patient, "are you hurt anywhere other than this bump on your head here?"

"I've got a bump on my head? That's news to me I can't see anything." Laura joked as she shot her eyes upward, "I told your captain to ask me that question in fifteen minutes so far it's only been eight." Laura turned back to her patient and Roy just shook his head and took hold of her wrist to count a pulse. After she helped Johnny and Marco to strap the pilot down to the back board Roy was able to reclaim her attention and help her slip of her dress jacket so that he could check a blood pressure.

"My partner is taking care of your friend, now let's get you checked out." Roy tried to take command.

"What do I look like a library book?" Laura chided teasingly and Mike's snicker just fueled her, "I feel fine just a little shaken up and still waiting for my stomach to catch up with me here on the ground. Oh and by the way, he's not my friend, I just met him an hour ago and I don't even know his full name."

"Look here," Captain Stanley stepped in with as much authority as he could muster. "The last time you told me you were fine we wound up hauling the entire station over to Mike's apartment to pull you out of an anaphylactic coma."

Laura closed one eye and glared at the fire captain then gave a slight chuckle as she heard sirens in the back ground and looked to see two police cars coming in. "Alright, I'm all yours, just as soon as I hand over these donor organs." With that Laura turned around in her seat again and grabbed for two insulated ice chests marked as carrying donor organs and pulled them into her lap. As she was handing them over to the police officers who ran up requesting them and making sure they knew where to take them Cap pulled Roy slightly to the side.

"You know who that is, don't you?"

"I do now," Roy answered, "I think she told us once that anyone who thought Dr.'s made lousy patients never met her."

"I'd advise you not to forget that," Mike chuckled quietly.

Once the donor organs were handed off and on their way Laura turned in her seat and looked at the senior paramedic letting out a deep breath. Roy quickly flicked his pen light in her eyes to check her pupils. "We're at fourteen and a half minutes now can you tell me if you're hurt anywhere else yet?"

Laura just laughed and Mike joined in.

When the ambulance arrived Johnny and the attendants made short work of lifting the pilot onto the gurney as Roy took hold of one of Laura's arms and Mike the other and helped her from the plane cockpit. The plan was to walk her over to the ambulance but she wouldn't take the first step before she pulled her hat from the belt on her skirt and placed it on her head. Roy had already draped her jacket over his arm. Together the three of them walked toward the back of the ambulance where Roy helped her into the back as Johnny assisted her in sitting on the bench across from the patient.

Roy closed the back doors and gave the signal that all was secured before standing back with his hands on his hips shaking his head as the ambulance pulled away.

"That was close Cap," Marco sighed as he stepped up next to the rest of the crew. "I didn't think she was going to get that plane down with out killing everyone on board and half the people on the road."

"Yeah," Cap responded, "but then that girl has never ceased to surprise me."

"She is going to be alright isn't she?" Marco asked, "She's a whole lot more giggly than she was the last time she was here."

"She just may have hit her head a little harder that she thinks she did," Roy diagnosed.

"Nah, her letters have been just like that lately." Chet dismissed the paramedic's thoughts.

"How do you know what her letters are like lately?" Mike turned a glaring stare and the trouble making Irishman.

"You're not the only one she's been writing to." Chet teased, "Even Cap has gotten a few letters from her."

"Why hasn't she written to me?" Marco questioned being left out.

"You got 'a write 'em to get 'em," Chet answered with a cheesy grin and turned to help gather up supplies.

00000

At the hospital Johnny quickly helped to unload the pilot and turned him over to the nurse who greeted them at the entrance before turning to help Laura down from the back of the ambulance and waited the second for her to replace her hat before offering her his elbow and guiding her into the hospital as if he were escorting a date.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked as they walked through the double doors, he was trying to decide weather or not to grab one of the wheelchairs stored in the hall.

Once inside the building Laura again removed her hat and tucked it under her belt as she walked at Johnny's side. "I'm fine, just fine. Haven't you heard any landing you can walk away from his a good landing?"

"Oh!" Laura touched her forehead.

"What's wrong?" Johnny stopped and took hold of his patient's shoulders to steady her.

"I'm fine, I just should have told Captain Stanley to call the Civil Air Patrol to find out what they wanted to do with the airplane."

"It had CAP allover the side of the plane," Johnny tried to ease her mind; "The police will know who to contact."

Dixie walked up to the pair noticing how paramedic Gage was holding his patient, "Room Five." Dixie then stepped up to the other side of Laura as Johnny took hold of her elbow and started moving her toward the treatment room.

"I'm fine," Laura continued to declare, "It's just all starting to settle in, that was a close one today."

"So I heard," Johnny small talked as he encouraged his patient forward.

As Dixie held the door open for them then pulled a stool forward for Laura to sit on she remembered the day just a week ago when she was paged for a phone call.

"Rampart General, Nurse McCall speaking."

"Dixie, this is Laura, Laura Elmer, do you remember me?" Her voice was nervous and instantly gained Dixie's full attention.

"Of course I remember you, where are you at?" She hadn't said the words but Dixie recognized a call for help when she heard one.

"Seattle Washington, They want me on a plane for Nicaragua in ten minutes. I can't do it any more Dix, I can't handle trying to save the world all by myself. Do you still have a position there at Rampart, I've been released by the Psychiatrist and I've passed all my psyche evaluations. I know how to work an emergency this organization is just setting dangerous policies. If I get on that plane I'll just be right back where I was in less than two weeks. They'll just run me into the ground and then leave me there in the dust. Please tell me I have a chance there." Laura had spilled her whole plea in rapid fire speech with out taking a breath now as she was waiting for Dixie's answer she was panting as if she had ran a mile.

Dixie quickly picked up a pen and pulled a paper pad in front of her, "Tell me where to send an application."

"I a, I still have the one you gave me when I was in the hospital there. I've put a resume together too and I have copies of my psyche release. I can have it all in the mail in less than an hour."

"Send it directly to me, I'll see to it that it gets into the right hands." Dixie then proceeded to give the pleading girl an address and made sure she knew where to contact her before duty called her into a treatment room for a full arrest. She had been careful not to make any promises that she couldn't keep. When the large and heavily stuffed manila envelope arrived the next day Dixie was quick to notice that her resume was six pages long and it took Dr. Brackett most of a day but he was able to verify every last detail on it. If Laura Elmer was indeed psychologically sound she would be a great addition to their staff.

When Dr. Brackett entered the treatment room Johnny was just finishing up a new set of vitals. "120 over 88, it's coming down from where it was."

"I hope so," Laura smiled then turned to Dr. Brackett. "Oh No!"

"What is it?" Dixie was quick to ask.

"I left my resumes on the plane and I have a run in my nylons!" Laura looked genuinely panicked.

"We still have the two copies of your resume that you sent in with your application." Dr. Brackett smiled as he started to examine the bump on Laura's forehead.

"And it just so happens that the hospital gift shop carries a supply of nylons," Dixie added.

Laura let out a deep breath, "Okay then, let's get this exam over with so I'm not late for my interview."

"We've got plenty of time for that." Brackett smiled then proceeded to check her pupil reactions.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mike had showered and changed in record time once he had backed the engine into the bay and with out the odor of someone's lost stomach contents under his nose he was feeling much better.

When the squad backed into the bay he was disappointed not to see Laura between the two paramedics. He knew it was against regulations but he had still hoped.

"Is she alright?" Mike quickly asked as soon and the paramedics climbed out of the squad.

"Who?" Johnny teased with a totally straight face.

"Laura,"

"Oh you mean Major Elmer?"

"She's fine," Roy saved the station's engineer any more torment at the hands of his partner. "Dixie said she'd bring her by the station after her shift was over, she should be here around dinner time."

"Hey that's great," Chet chimed in behind them, "Cap can we invite them to stay for dinner?"

"I don't know Kelly, your cooking tonight would that be a wise thing to do?" Cap answered and Johnny smirked.

"Hey she's used to military rations and has been living at a youth camp even I can beat that cooking." Chet countered.

"We could always call Dix and tell her to bring a stomach pump along," Johnny joked.

"I'll help him cook," Mike offered, "that way we'll be sure it's safe."

"Alright then I'll approve inviting guests for dinner." Cap was quick to recognize a win win situation. "I'm sure they'll both understand if we get called out while their here."

"Come on Chet let's go see what we have to work with."

Mike moved into the kitchen and began taking over but made sure Chet stuck around to help. Everyone else at the station sat back and watched hoping beyond hope that Chet just might learn a thing or two from Mike about preparing an edible meal.

The station was called out on another traffic accident much more minor than the first one of the morning and as the engine responded from there to a trash fire the squad raced off to a difficulty breathing call.

At the hospital John and Roy informed Dixie of the dinner invite but neither of them saw Laura nor did they feel right about asking where she was.

The squad was returning to the station around five thirty when they noticed Dixie's car pulling into the drive. As Roy backed the squad into position Johnny got out and ran to greet their guests.

Roy hesitated to close the bay door so his partner could walk in with a woman on each arm and the biggest grin on his face Roy had ever seen.

Dixie was wearing a casual pants suit with her hair down and Laura was still in her dress uniform having just removed her hat after entering the building. Her hair was freshly slicked back in a tight bun on the back of her head and the bruise on her forehead was showing through the heavy makeup applied to hide it and it looked as if it were going to drain down giving her a black eye by morning.

"Welcome to station 51," Roy greeted a little louder than he needed to but his greeting had the desired effect as the rest of the crew hurriedly pilled out of the common room to greet their guests.

As the crew huddled around their guests offering interconnected and excited greetings Laura took a step away from Johnny and placed her hands on her hips in mock anger. "I received a message that someone here is holding my Teddy Bear hostage."

Everyone including Laura burst out laughing as they turned to Mike whose face was rapidly matching the color of the engine behind him.

Laura made the rounds giving everyone a quick hug, Cap thanked her for helping his daughter with her school report on health workers in other countries to which Laura responded that she had been honored to be asked. Chet Kelly was greeted as Jester Chester and Laura added that she had something for him. Marco, John and Roy were each given a quick hug and then she stood in front of Mike.

She reached out and took his hand with a warm smile slightly different than the one she had shared with the rest of the crew. "You're looking good."

"Thanks, so are you," Mike responded. "Camp life must really agree with you."

"It had its moments," she smiled brighter, "How's your mom and sisters and that nephew of yours?"

"Fine, fine and growing like a weed, he's starting to scoot around on his own now," Mike answered. Then the two of them just stood there looking at each other.

"What ever you fixed for dinner sure smells good," Dixie commented to interrupt the silent snickers in the bay.

"Yes I do believe dinner is ready," the captain clapped his hands together, "We're all thrilled that you girls agreed to join us tonight."

"We did?" Laura questioned with eyes fixed on Dixie.

"I accepted for you." Dixie answered.

"How very nice of you," Laura replied as she took hold of Mike's elbow that was being offered to her.

"You were rather busy at the time," Dixie commented as she reclaimed Johnny's elbow and everyone made their way to the common room. Laura gave Dixie a quick glance and a subtle shake of her head and Dixie got the message.

The two guests were seated at a table set with placemats and a vase of flowers in the center as the rest of the crew worked together to move the food to the table. As the food was being passed around the table the small talk started up again.

"My wife would like me to invite you over to dinner while you're in town." Cap started things off. "If you have time that is."

"Your wife! Do I need to wear a bullet proof vest?"

"No, not at all, she's just heard me talk about your books and after all the information you sent for our daughter's report she's festinated and would like to meet you that's all."

"My wife would like to meet you too," Roy added, "She has actually read your book, keep the rescuers rescuing, and claims she understands me better now. How long are you going to be in town this time around?"

"Don't forget you owe me a rain check for dinner." Mike claimed his time with Laura before it was all gone. And they all noticed that Laura was grinning and looking at Dixie. "How long are you going to be in town?" Mike added.

Laura cleared her throat and wiped her mouth with her napkin while she looked at all the men looking back at her. "I'm planning on hanging around for at least two years; we'll just have to see after that."

"You got the job at Rampart!" Johnny shouted as he slapped the table in excitement. "Are you going to be working in Emergency?"

"Yes," Laura answered with a smile that filled the whole room.

"You are all looking at Rampart General's new Medex," Dixie proudly announced.

"Medex?" Roy spoke for the confusion of everyone in the room, "Is that like an army medic?" Roy was really confused because as a former army medic he knew they had less training than he did as a paramedic. Laura had to be more qualified than that.

"Not quite," Dixie responded and Laura let her. "it's between a Nurse and a Doctor, she'll be able to treat some of the more minor patients and prescribe some medications with out a Doctor's supervision, She'll also be worked into the call room and be instructing you paramedics on treatment in the field. She will also be overseeing all flight related transportation of our patients as well as infield triage stations."

"Alright!" Johnny exclaimed in excitement.

"On behalf of Station 51 congratulations and welcome to the team." Captain Stanley stood up and offered his hand to Laura who hesitantly shook. The rest of the crew lined up to shake hands and then they all reseated themselves to finish their dinner.

"So, do you have a place to stay until you find an apartment?" Captain Stanley offered.

"She'll be staying with me tonight," Dixie quickly informed something it was obvious Laura didn't know yet. "I'll flip you for the bed."

"She'll be taking the sofa," Mike laughed with relief that Laura was going to be taken care of.

"The first thing I need to do is find a safe place to go jogging," Laura listed her priority.

"Not tonight you don't." Dixie scolded.

"I don't jog, I don't sleep," Laura taunted back.

"Well you'll be woken up several times tonight anyway." Laura just rolled her eyes.

"I could pick you up when I get off shift tomorrow and help you find a place to Jog." Mike spoke quickly fearing Johnny would if he didn't. "I know of a couple of places that are good for that sort of thing."

"Oh thank heavens somebody who understands and is willing to rescue me from my hospital away from the hospital," Laura accepted with glee.

"And then we can have a barbeque at my place tomorrow night and Roy can bring his family so you can meet them all at one time and the rest of the guys can come." Cap added his plans.

"That sounds great Cap we can make it pot luck." Roy added with enthusiasm.

"Since I don't have a kitchen yet," Laura spoke up, "I'll bring the chips and sodas."

"Miss McCall you're welcome to come along too and bring Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early." Cap offered an invitation.

"Oh thank you, but I'm on duty tomorrow and so are doctors Brackett and Early perhaps another time."

The meal progressed with continued chatter and surprisingly no calls. When the meal was finished Laura was first to offer to help clean up but was told that it wasn't allowed because she was the guest.

"Well if they won't let us help clean up we better get you home and get an ice pack on that goose egg of yours," Dixie advised. Laura rolled her eyes.

"I'm not leaving here with out my teddy bear," She stood her ground, "and my change of clothes."

Mike got up from the table and headed for the office where they had stored the bags they had retrieved from the plane and carried them back into the common room. "I'll put them in the car for you," He offered.

"Before you do that, set the black one down on the table for a minute." Laura instructed before pushing herself to her feet and opening the bag that was set on the table. She then started pulling out books that showed two hands clasped at the elbows under the title of 'Hang in There' along with smaller booklets titled, 101 things kids should know before they go to camp. An autographed copy of each was handed to each of the men including a set for Dixie. Two copies of each for Captain Stanley on of the copies of 'Hang in there' in paperback. Everyone was admiring their gifts when Marco turned a page.

"Dedicated to real friends who were there in need," he read out loud. "Captain Hank Stanley, Mike Stoker, Marco Lopez, Chester Kelly, Roy Desoto and John Gage as well as Nurse Dixie McCall and doctors, Brackett and Morton."

"Hey that's nice," Marco added.

"Hey listen to this." John was reading from the other book, "If you see a long haired creature black with a white stripe down it's back it is not your long lost kitty cat do not try to catch it and take it home and do not coax it into your tent of cabin."

She then pulled out a box out and held it toward Chester. "I forwarded your letter to my Court Jester and he sent this to me to give to you." Laura informed with a hint of emotion in her voice. "I hope it give you're the information that you were asking for. He said there was a note in there just for you."

"Thank you," Chet responded while the rest of the crew looked somewhat concerned.

Laura and Dixie were then escorted back to Dixie's car with her luggage and Dixie drove her to her apartment while the firefighters went back in the station to clean up and call home to inform wives of the party tomorrow night.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dixie stepped out of the shower and into her night gown before slipping on her robe. She then decided to do the first of her concussion wake up checks before she went to bed herself. As she stepped into her living room she paused for a moment to look at her guest and friend.

Laura was stretched out on the sofa dressed in a light gray t-shirt with the graphic design of some Civil Air Patrol Squadron printed on it and a pair of gym shorts. Her long damp hair was spread out above her head and cascaded over the arm of the couch. Her arms were raised over her head and also draped over the arm of the couch hanging down from her elbows. A gelled ice pack lay draped over her forehead and eyes as she lay motionless.

"And she said she couldn't sleep unless she went jogging," Dixie mumbled to herself as she made her way over to her guest.

"It's Thursday October 18th 1977," Laura spoke as soon as Dixie reached the side of the couch, "My name is Laura Morningstar Elmer and I'm currently resting on the sofa of one nearly insane nurse named Dixie McCall and if she has a middle name I never knew what it was so of course I can't remember it. What else do you want to know?"

"And I thought you were asleep."

"Nope, not me." Laura reached down and pulled the ice pack up so she could see out of at least one eye. "You know I never lost consciousness there is really no need for neurological checks."

"It's just that you were so dazed when they brought you in and you act so different than you did the last time you were here."

"I would hope so!" Laura pulled her arms up and folded them across the top of her head. "I was not in a good place when I was here last, physically or mentally."

"So are you trying to tell me this is the real you?" Dixie sat down on the foot stool next to the sofa.

"No, I'm not quite there yet." Laura turned her head in Dixie's direction. "That will take a little more time and I doubt I will ever be the same person I was."

"That's understandable, Are you sure you're ready to leave the international medical service?"

"Yeah," Laura both looked and sounded positive.

"Do you think you'll have a change of heart when you hear about the next great disaster or are you going to be glad you're not there?"

"Yeah," Laura nod her head and gave a distant glance.

"How about your new job, are you excited or nervous?"

"Yeah," Laura looked at Dixie and chuckled and Dixie joined in understanding that the emotions were well mixed.

"What about Mike Stoker, do you think you're ready to consider a relationship?"

Laura looked at Dixie then looked away; she took in a deep breath and then let it out before looking back at Dixie. "I have no idea." "I guess it would be best if I keep him from getting too close until I figure it out."

"I think that is what dating is all about," Dixie admonished.

"Is that one old maid to the next?"

"Who better to truly understand."

"But I don't want to hurt him Dix."

"That's the chance everyone has to take. That's why there's a famous saying, it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all."

"Yeah, I've heard that one, but with what I've experienced in life, I can't say that I agree."

00000

Back at station 51 six firemen were showered and had their turn outs set up and ready to go. Four of them were settling in to their beds with eye lids growing heavy. One was trying but kept tossing and turning, over come with nerves and the last one was lying quietly in his bunk with his hands behind his head very much awake.

When all was quiet and everyone with in his sight seemed to be sleeping soundly Chester Kelly pulled his hands from behind his head and carefully sat up. Cringing at the squeak of his box springs as he placed his feet in his boots, Chet took another look around before proceeding. Once his turn outs were pulled up he ever so quietly tip toed into the locker room and retrieved the box he had been given earlier and quietly made his way to the common room to share the couch with Henry while he read.

After cutting the packing tape with his pocket knife Chet slipped the lid off the box to see a legal sized envelope resting on top of a one inch high pile of neatly stacked but loose papers. On the envelope was written Jester Chester Kelly, so of course Chet quickly opened it and pulled the contents out in full view. As he unfolded the pages a newspaper clipping dropped into his lap picking it up and turning it over he could quickly see that it was a copy of an obituary, the picture was of an older man who looked like a grandfather. He quickly read the contents of the article to learn that the man had died about ten days ago from complications to injuries received while helping the victims of the China earthquake. His list of world wide accomplishments were many and ended with a quote, 'I believe I have made a difference in the life of at least one person so I can say that my life has not been in vain.'

As Chet read again the man's list of accomplishments in life the page began to blur. He hadn't been mistaken about Laura having some emotions in her voice when she handed it to him; she had recently lost a friend.

Wiping the moisture from his eyes with the back of his hand Chet lay the obituary back in the box and turned his attention to the hand written letter. The hand writing looked distinctly feminine and a quick glace at the end of the letter confirmed his suspicions that the letter had been dictated and written by his daughter.

Turning back to the beginning Chet read:

Dear Jester in training:

I don't know which gives me the greatest joy in my last hours, knowing that there is someone out there to carry on in the world of rescue working Jesters or that he is a fellow Irishman. To the manuscript found in this box I add the following, if you are just in it for personal entertainment you are nothing more than a prankster. To be a true Jester you're goal must be for the betterment of the individual and the team as a whole. You must be willing to do what ever is needed to help your fellow rescue workers get through the tough times and remember their successes as well as bring comfort to those who are injured and frightened and cold. Be sure to study Laura Elmer's chapter on Crow bars of conversation especially the part about the third party along with these notes. . . . . . . .

Mike Stoker finally realized if he had any hope of getting to sleep he would have to try something else so he tossed in bed one more time to untangle himself from his bedding and got up to go get Henry. As he reached the common room door he noticed Chet on the couch with an opened box on one knee and Henry's head on the other. The hand that held the papers he was reading trembled slightly and the moisture on his face and the thoughtful expression in his eyes caused Mike to step away from the door and lean against the wall of the equipment bay. It was while he was leaning against the wall trying to decide what to do next that the tones sounded and the lights in the station flashed on. They were needed along with three other engines at a house fire in an older, more run down section of their response area.

Mike quickly pulled on his coat and climbed behind the wheel of the engine as he noticed Kelly make a mad dash for the locker room with his box and return ahead of the rest of the crew with out it to claim his seat on the engine.

Following the squad they were the first to arrive and from a block away they could see the building was boarded up and fully involved.

Because there was a chance that the fire had been started by a homeless person trying to stay warm John and Roy were sent in to do a quick sweep ahead of a hose carried by Chet and Marco. It was in the hottest part of the fire that the paramedics found their only victim and quickly scooped him up and together carried him toward the door. Chet and Marco were backing out behind them spraying water as they stepped when Chet heard and ominous grown and shoved his shoulder into Marco's back to push him out of the way of the collapsing roof. The debris that landed on Chet's ankle earned him a fast ride out across Marco's shoulders and a complete going over by the paramedics. Neither of which could find any reason to haul Chet to Rampart and since their only victim was code F before they got to him they had only to make sure the fire was completely out before heading back to the barn.

00000

Dixie's alarm went off and she quickly turned it off and rolled out of bed and headed for the living room and her guest. There she found Laura lying face down her head resting on the icepack and her pillow resting on top of her head. Her arm hanging off the edge of the sofa and resting on the floor, her feet propped up on the back of the sofa. She looked anything but comfortable but she did look to be asleep. Since she had been awake the first two times Dixie had checked on her, she was deciding not to wake her now but couldn't bring herself to go back to bed with out at least checking her pulse.

Carefully she walked forward and knelt down to carefully take hold of Laura's wrist. Happy that her patient was in good condition she let go of the wrist.

"Is it still going thump thump thump?" Laura questioned with out moving or opening her eyes.

"Yes, now go back to sleep, that's an order."

"Yes Ma'am."

00000

There was still three hours of possible sleep time available when the fire trucks backed into the station so everyone was quick to wash off the smoke and get back in the sack. Mike being the cleanest in the bunch waited till last and while he was in the shower he glanced over the shower door to see Chet pull a large manila envelope from the top of his locker. Mike knew exactly what it was; all of them had such an envelope. Some like Chet kept them in their Locker others kept them at headquarters and yet others placed them with various friends or loved ones but they all carried the words 'open in case of my death'.

Mike stepped out of the shower as soon as Chet left the locker room and with a towel wrapped around his waist, stuck his head out the door to see where Chet was going. When he saw Chet opening his envelope as he stepped into the office Mike quickly dressed with out drying off and tip toed up to the office door. Using the reflection in the door's window Mike could see Chet borrowing the black marker from the captain's desk and marking out a large section on the paper he had pulled out of the envelope and after waving his hand over the paper for a moment to dry the ink he then placed the same paper in the type writer and positioned it to begin typing below the blacked out part.

Mike carefully stayed out of sight while as Chet typed just a few lines and then pulled the paper from the typewriter and began to stuff it back in the envelope. Mike covertly ducked behind the squad and made sure he stayed out of Chet's sight as he walked back into the locker room.

"That last fire must have been worse than I thought," Mike thought to himself and made a mental note to mention what he saw to Cap first thing in the morning. Mike then slipped into the common room and collected Henry and hauled him back to his bed.

When the wake up tones sounded Mike was not in his bunk and Chet found a cold wet nose blowing in his ear.

00000

When Dixie woke up she again made her way to her living room to find the pillow and sheets folded neatly and set on the foot stool next to the sofa but no Laura. Scanning the room she was comforted to see Laura's luggage still in the room and followed a faint sound to the kitchen. There she found Laura sitting at the breakfast bar with the morning paper spread out and the phone book opened to the yellow pages.

Laura herself was still wearing the clothing she had slept in she had a ball cap on her head holding a fresh ice pack in place over the goose egg on her forehead and her hair was in a tight pony tail. Just as everyone who had looked at her the day before feared the blood from her forehead bruise had drained down giving her a black eye.

"Good morning," Laura looked up from her paper, "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Yes I slept very well thank you." Dixie stepped closer to see that Laura was looking over the classified section listing apartments and had several adds circled in pen as well as a list of things to do written over the top of a car dealership add. "You're up early."

"I've got a lot of things to do and only two weeks to get it done," Laura responded. "Where's a good place to buy uniforms in the area?"

Dixie listed two places and watched as Laura wrote them down in the margins of the paper before looking them up in the phone book and copying down the address and business hours.

"Oh, your paper is over there, I met the paper delivery boy and bought another one from him."

"So you have been up for a while," Dixie commented.

"Like I said I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to get it done."

"Would you like some coffee?" Dixie offered with a yawn.

"No thank you, I don't drink Coffee."

"What are you, a Mormon?"

"Not last I checked," Laura grinned. "I just don't need the caffeine in my system."

"You're welcome to take a shower while I fix breakfast," Dixie offered.

"Thanks but I'd rather wait till after I've been jogging. I'll really need one then."

"Do you know when Mike is coming by to get you?"

"He just said when he was off duty, I hope he doesn't forget." Laura did seem a little nervous.

"I don't think there's much of a chance of that." Dixie then opened a drawer next to the sink and pulled out a key chain. "Here's a key to the apartment so you can let yourself back in."

"Thanks for giving me a place to stay; I promise to get my own just as soon as I possibly can."

"I can tell you're working on it." Dixie said as she placed a glass of orange juice in front of her guest.

Laura had just finished helping Dixie wash the dishes when they heard a knock on the door and neither was surprised to see Mike standing there in his running shorts and a T-shirt. Laura quickly folded her newspaper up so that her notes were on the out side and stuffed it in a pocket of her bag before tying a bandanna around her head and following Mike through the door.

Mike had drawn heavily from the letters he had exchanged with Laura over the last several months and choose a park with a path that ran next to a small stream. They were less than a mile into their run when Mike tripped on a tree root and went down.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Before Mike could push himself up again Laura was kneeling next to him applying pressure to the top of his head. When he looked at her he noticed that she had taken the bandanna from her head and was sure that was what she was holding to his head.

"Just relax now, lets get this bleeding stopped and then we'll see what we've got here." Laura spoke calmly. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I think I just skinned myself up like some little kid." Mike answered with a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"Don't feel bad, I do the same thing every time I go jogging after dark," Laura commented as she slipped her other arms through Mike's armpit and up across his shoulder encouraging him to lie back against her. "It looks to me like we have a three point landing."

"What's a three point landing?" Mike questioned as he allowed himself to relax in her arms.

"In this case, Knee, hand and head," Laura answered as she pealed the bandanna back to take a look at his head before reapplying pressure quickly. "Not quite stopped yet but it doesn't look too bad."

Mike was really enjoying the feeling of resting in Laura's arms when she shifted her position so that she could look at his face more directly. "Look at me Mike I want to see your eyes."

With the hand that wasn't holding pressure on Mike's head Laura covered one of his eyes and rolled her hand away before covering the other eye and rolling her hand away. "So far so good," Laura commented before taking Mike's hand and looking over the scrapped up heal. "You picked up some gravel in this one that will need to get cleaned out. How does your wrist feel?"

"Alright," Mike answered.

"It doesn't feel swollen at all and has good movement, now let me get a good look at that knee."

Mike obligingly bent his scrapped knee bringing it closer to Laura for her inspection.

"Does it hurt to move it like that," Laura commented on the ease in which he bent his knee.

"No, not at all."

"Well it looks better off than your hand, How about your ankle?"

"It hurts a little but I'm sure it's just slightly sprained. I can walk on it."

"And just how do you know that? I'm not aware of you doing any walking since you finished your little trip."

"It doesn't hurt that bad. If I was at work I could still do my job."

"If you hurt that much at work you hadn't better even try." Laura smiled, "You'll be so high on adrenalin you can't tell for sure how bad you're hurt." Laura peeled her bandanna away from Mike's head once again and did a little looking. "Well it's not too bad but you're going to need a few stitches."

"Oh great," Mike spoke with all the sarcasm he could find.

"Just a minute and I'll help you to your feet." Laura took the bandanna and washed the blood out of it in the stream before using it to tie up Mike's ankle before helping him to his feet and sliding under his arm and put her arm around his chest to support him while they walked back to Mike's truck.

"You actually handled that little walk nicely I think we can forgo the x-ray's and casting and settle with resting it with ice for the rest of the day. Once we get your head and hand taken care of at the hospital." Laura started guiding Mike to the passenger side of his truck, "I sure hope you trust me to drive."

"Are you sure you can find your way?" Mike grinned remembering all the comments she had made about getting lost the last time she was in town.

"No but thankfully you'll be riding shotgun and can tell me where and when to turn." Laura smiled and Mike melted.

"DO you know how to drive a clutch?" Mike questioned once Laura had the passenger door opened.

"Of course, don't you know, I'm a country girl."

With Mike's help Laura was actually able to drive to the hospital with out even scratching his truck. Once they were there Laura parked away from the emergency entrance and turned to Mike. "You need me to get you a wheel chair?"

"I can walk," Mike answered defiantly and Laura just grinned.

"MY kind of guy." She said and climbed out and ran around the truck. "Alright take it easy until you know how that ankle is going to feel now that it's had a chance to stiffen up."

Mike allowed Laura to climb under his arm and place her hand around his waist again. He really didn't need it but it felt good to have her holding on to him.

When they reached the emergency department Laura was pleased to see the waiting room was nearly empty. Turning Mike toward the head nurses station they were greeted by Dixie.

"What have you got here?" Dixie questioned taking in the reinforced ankle, the limp, as well as the skinned knee and hand.

"My friend here is in need of debridement of his hand and head laceration and a few stitches."

Mike sheepishly waved with he scrapped up hand and Dr. Brackett quickly but gently took a hold of it and gave it a quick exam.

"Yeah that needs some attention but it doesn't look too bad. Where's this head laceration?"

Mike bent his head down so the Doctor could see the blood tinged hair.

After moving his hair away so he could get a good look Dr. Bracket shook his head. "Well Medex Elmer, this looks to be right up your alley. Would you like to finish up what you've started?"

"I have no problem with that as long as Mike doesn't object."

With that response the head of Emergency looked at Mike, "Well Mr. Stoker do you have a problem with Miss Elmer here sewing you up?"

"Of course not, that would be just fine." Mike was emphatic.

"In that case room 4," Dixie said from behind where she was standing with a wheelchair.

"That's Dix for ya," Laura laughed when she looked behind her. "She has a thing for pushing people around."

Laura tried her best to act like the ultimate professional and stepped ahead of Dixie to hold the treatment room door open as she wheeled Mike through the door and then helped her assist him to the treatment bed. While Laura was washing her hands Dixie set up a suture tray.

"Who told you to get all this stuff out?" Laura questioned as she looked over the tray that was set up at the side of the bed.

"It's a standard suture tray is there something else you would like?"

"This is standard? Wow that's a lot of stuff. Well it's opened lets see how much I can use."

"Would you like me to shave his head around the laceration or do you want to?" Dixie asked with a razor blade in her hand and Mike cringed.

"Just a minute," Laura looked at Dixie then back at the tray. "Okay I understand now let me take another look." She moved to the head of the bed and adjusted the light to give her the best look at the cut in Mike's scalp and let out a deep breath. "Mike you have two options we can shave around the cut and use cat gut to sew your scalp closed or we can clean it out and use your hair to tie it closed. Which would you like me to do?"

"Tying it shut with my hair sounds a whole lot better than shaving my head." Mike leaned up on his elbows and turned to look at Laura. "What are the pro's and con's."

"Well shaving your head cuts down on the risk of infections slightly but I have found that if we clean the area with phisoderm and irrigate with saline either way does equally as well. I can do both, it's your call."

"I'd like the hair tied then." Mike was quick to answer. "I can always have John and Roy check it for signs of infection while we're at the station."

"Alright then," Laura gave the suture tray another look. "Dix I need a sterile syringe, some sterile saline, a bottle of phisoderm, Bactitracin and a surgical scrub brush."

"That will take me just a minute." Dixie commented with a worried look on her face that Laura picked up on.

"While your out would you get an ice pack for his ankle?" Laura requested.

"Yes Ma'am." Dixie replied and left the room.

Laura scanned the cabinets in the room and gave Mike a serious look, "I'm about to have at least one Dr. questioning my treatment and looking over my shoulder do you have a problem with that?"

"Is something wrong?"

"The method I offered you and that you chose is not common in this country. In the field it's the only way I would ever consider doing it because of the lack of supplies available to me. But I wouldn't be surprised if there's not a doctor in this hospital that has ever seen it done."

"But you've done it this way before with out any complications?"

"I've had a couple of complications once the patient had a preexisting case of head lice and the other case was a rescue worker who didn't keep it clean. Either one probably would have gotten infected any way I had done it."

"How many of these have you done?"

"I've long lost count but well into the hundreds and even thousands. And incase your wondering we didn't send those patients off. Anything that minor I treated from beginning to end."

"Well then that's the way I want it done. I don't want a great big bald spot on my head."

"I'll do my best, but what do you say we start with your hand so we don't have to do your head twice."

"You're the doctor," Mike lay back and relax.

"Well Medex actually," Laura smiled then sat down to clean the pebbles out of Mike's hand. She had just finished pulled the small gravel from his hand and laid a gauze soaked with Batadine on his hand to soak while she cleaned up his skinned knee when Dixie returned with two doctor's in tow, Dr. Brackett and another Doctor with gray hair that she hadn't met yet.

"Hello Dr. Brackett, coming to inspect my work?"

"Laura, I'd like you to meet Dr. Joe Early, He's one of our ER doctors." Brackett avoided answering the question.

"Nice to meet you Dr. Early," Laura offered a genuine smile but since she had on sterile gloves she didn't offer to shake hands.

"Welcome aboard, Dix tells us that you're going to be tying the scalp laceration closed with the hair."

"That's the plan; my patient would rather not have a bald spot on his head."

"I removed those kind of stitches several years ago and have been trying to figure out how to do it ever since would you mind if I watched?"

"I have no objection providing it's alright with my patient." Laura answered and turned her attention to Mike, "It's up to you Mike do you mind if they watch me tie you up?"

"That's okay with me," Mike shrugged his shoulders. He was really glad that he was her first patient at Rampart, he had worked along side of her after a school bus filled to capacity had rolled on its side and had confidence in her but he knew someone who had never met her before could be very shaken by a nurse dragging in another Dr. in the room.

"Alright then Dix once you lay out the supplies you've gathered for me would you slip his shoe off and get that ice on his ankle and then clean up this knee and bandage it while I work on the scalp."

"Yes Ma'am," Dixie answered very sheepishly as she moved to the cabinets in the room to collect most of the supplies Laura had asked for.

Laura then stepped up to Mike's head and pulled on a clean pair of gloves before demonstrating the skill she had and a technique that neither Doctor had seen done before. When she was done they noticed that Dixie had finished with the knee and applied an elastic bandage to Mike's ankle and Laura had only used three of the eighteen instruments in the suture pack.

"Okay Mike let's get that hand bandaged and then as soon as I get the paper work done I'll take you home where you can prop that foot up and ice it for the rest of the day."

"I'll just take him to the front desk to finish filling out his paperwork while you do yours," Dixie offered once Laura had finished wrapping Mike's hand.

"I think Dr. Brackett or Dr. Early can do that Dix, I'd appreciate it if you'd show me where this stuff goes if you don't mind," Laura laid out another plan.

"Of course, we need to get back to work anyway," Dr. Early offered and helped Mike back into the wheelchair before giving Dr. Brackett's sleeve a tug as he moved through the door.

Once Laura and Dixie were the only two in the room Laura reached out and touched her arm.

"Dix, you're going to find that I do things differently, most of what I do is because in my previous work environment it was the only way to do things but I do recognize that it may not be the best way to do things in this work environment. I want to thank you for being strong enough to pull in a second opinion it's very comforting to me to know that you will do that."

"I didn't mean any offence," Dixie offered with her had hung low.

"None taken, I mean it when I said it is very comforting. Do you think we could both think on things for a while and come up with a code word for when you think you have a better way or think I should get a second opinion?"

"Sure," Dixie looked up and smiled.

"Another thing, when I applied to work here at Rampart I didn't expect to be hired as anything more than one of your nurses. It was really hard for me to give you orders in here today, I want you to know that and if you would address me as Laura and loose the Ma'am it might help in the future."

"I'll work on it." Dixie smiled again a little warmer this time.

"Friends?"

"Friends."

"One last thing and then I'll get out of your hair. What paperwork do I need to fill out now and where do I find it."

"I've put it all in the patient file over there on the counter."

"Thank you," Laura offered her own smile and sat at the counter with a pen in hand.

When Dixie left the treatment room with the dirty laundry she was surprised to find Dr. Brackett standing outside the door waiting for her.

"I didn't hear any screaming, was she upset about you coming to me?" Kell was looking Dixie over to make sure she hadn't been verbally abused.

"NO not at all she thanked me in fact, she wants us to come up with a code word for when ever I question her treatment so we can talk about it away from the patient," Dixie answered. "She says she knows that she does things differently but that she's had to under the circumstances that she's work in, in the past."

"I've seen some of the pictures from the disasters she's worked; I don't think I could do it." Kell smiled and went back to work now that he knew his favorite nurse was alright.


	6. Chapter 6

Authors note: Sorry this chapter has taken so long My mother has had some surgery and needed round the clock help for a few days and now my Father-in-law has had a heart attack. The rest of the chapters just may be sporadic as I do what I can to help with their needs. But for now here's this chapter.

Chapter 6

When Laura turned in her paperwork she found Mike still sitting in a wheelchair waiting patiently for her to either take him home or even better yet, give him back his truck keys.

"Just a minute Mike and I'll get you home." Laura nod to him before turning back to Dixie. "When would be a good time for me to come in this week and learn where you guys keep everything?"

"We're already planning for you to spend your first two weeks following one of our doctors and doing just that." Dr. Brackett stepped into the conversation. "I was really impressed with the technique you demonstrated today. Did you use it often in the field?"

"We were always so short on supplies that if I could use the patient's hair to tie the wound closed I did and saved the few sutures that we had for when I couldn't use hair. And we still always ran out. I've even used a man's chest hair for the final sutures after thoracic surgery."

"How much surgery did you do in the field?" Dr. Brackett questioned as part of his assessment of her skills and attitude.

"The actual surgeries I did from beginning to end I can count on one hand and those I was talked through every step of the way but it was very common for me to start a surgery in order to clamp off a bleeder in the thick of things and I did most of the closing sutures once the doctors finished the work."

"So you've assisted in quite a few emergency surgeries then."

"Oh yeah," Laura spoke with emphasis, "Oh yeah."

"Well," Dr. Brackett spoke after a long pause, "I better be getting back to work."

"Me too," Laura added. "I have a lot of things to get done before I report for duty." At that Laura turned away from the nurse's desk and took control of the wheelchair as they headed for the exit. As Laura made it through the doors she quickly looked around to see that Dixie wasn't close at hand then spoke to Mike.

"Do you want me to push you to your truck or do you feel like walking?"

Mike didn't say a word but pulled his foot off of the raised foot rest and climbed out of the chair making sure he grabbed the ice pack as he moved and Laura snagged a hospital worker heading back in the building and asked them to return the wheelchair on their way.

"Hay Mike," Laura called as they reached his truck, "that big red fire engine of yours, is it automatic trans or does it have a clutch?"

"Clutch," Mike answered.

"Guess we better make sure we don't need to pull you from duty for a shift or so." Laura said and as soon as he glared in her direction Laura tossed him the keys.

Mike was very aware of Laura watching him closely as he drove to his apartment. Although he tried with all his might not to show that the ankle smarted a bit as he pressed on the clutch Laura's questions of "When do you go back on shift?" and how much Ice do you have in your freezer?" that told him she could see right through him just as she had always done from the moment she first met him.  
When Mike pulled into his covered parking stall he noticed Laura looking all around the truck. "Is anything wrong?" Mike asked in confusion then wished he hadn't when she turned around just in time to see him grimace when he pulled his foot from between the peddles.

"Not with me there isn't but you need to get down and get that foot up with some ice on it." Laura then got out of the truck and hurried around to help Mike but he had to prove his independence and jumped out before she could get there. To do so was a mistake but Laura allowed him to believe his pain didn't show. But she did give him a grin before she pulled his arm around her shoulders, "let me see if I can remember where your apartment is from here."

Once they were inside Mike was given a gentle shove over on the sofa and then his left foot was lifted off the floor and placed on the arm of the couch with enough through pillows under his leg to support it. Laura then made her way to the freezer to fill a bag with some ice and returned placing it on Mike's ankle. "Now if you'll stay off that thing and keep ice on it you should be able to go to the party tonight." Laura directed with a smile. "Do you need me to bring you in some lunch?"

"No I'm fine," Mike insisted as Laura moved the phone closer to him.

"O kay then, I'd really like to stay and visit but I really have a lot to do."

"I should have taken you back to nurse McCall's place."

"No, this is better; it's closer to the places I need to be."

"Would you like to take my truck?"

"NO, I saw a bus stop out there and I'd much rather let them do the driving in this traffic until I learn my way around a little better."

"What happened to your truck anyway?"

"It's in Seattle, It doesn't pass California's safety inspection and I had a chance to fly down so I took it while a friend of mine is checking to see if it can be tuned up. If it can he'll bring it down to me in a couple of weeks. Is there anything else I can do for you before I go?"

"No, really I'm fine." Mike insisted.

"O kay then I'll see you tonight." Laura said and then she was gone.

About three minutes after Laura left Mike slapped his head with his hand. "I should have offered to drive her to Cap's place for the party tonight!"

The long night at the station and lying still had a weighty effect on Mike's eye lids and he was soon asleep.

After a short nap Mike called Johnny and then Roy to see if they had Dixie's phone number but they both recommended that he call the hospital and talk to her there, so he did. Dixie had been very willing to give Mike her phone number but after four tries he still wasn't able to get in touch with Laura.  
He was just limping up to Captain Stanley's front door when a cab pulled up and Laura got out taking a moment to pay the driver then pull a large box brimming with bags of chips which she lifted up on her head only holding on with one hand to keep it balanced and started for the front door. As Mike watched her he felt he was in another world.

She was wearing what looked like a one piece swim suit open in the back and very form fitting. A very colorful cloth with ruffled edges was tied around her waist to serve as a skirt showing off her shapely form and her long tanned legs, on her feet were simple thong sandals and as she walked her hips swayed softly. Her hair was down around her shoulders in soft flowing curls the front locks tucked behind her ears for a different look than Mike usually saw. She was beautiful and Mike sighed in awe and smiled in her direction as he waited for her to join him before he rang the door bell.

"Wow, you look fabulous," Mike spoke breathlessly.

"Thank you," Laura answered nervously.

"Are you nervous?" Mike inquired as he reached out and pushed the door bell.

"A little," Laura swallowed hard, "the last time a man asked me to meet his wife she shot me."

"You're kidding," Mike exclaimed.

The door opened and Hank Stanley was standing there to graciously welcome his guests. "No I'm not," Laura whispered to Mike before she ducked down to be able to enter the door with the box on her head. Hank quickly took the box from Laura and nearly dropped it in surprise by the weight of it.

"I had them put the sodas in the bottom so they wouldn't crush the chips," Laura explained the unexpected weight.

The weight of the box made it too difficult for Hank to take the salad from Mike's hands so he just motioned form his two newest guests to follow him into the kitchen where he set the box down on the table then took the salad from Mike. Once Mike was no longer holding the salad Hank noticed the bandage on his hand.

"Alright what did you do to your hand?" Captain Stanley interrogated.

"Oh, nothing, just a little road rash," Mike tried to play his bandaged hand down.

"Does this little road rash have anything to do with your limp?"

"It's just a slight sprained ankle," Mike insisted and Laura smiled.

"Are you going to be alright to go back on shift in 48 hours?"

Mike looked to Laura for help, "I'm sure I'll be just fine by then Cap."

"As well as he's moving around now as long as he stays off of it as much as possible tonight and tomorrow he should be just fine in time to go back on shift," Laura smiled and tilted her head as she prognosed.

Just then Emily Stanley stepped in the back door, "Well Hello Michael, so good of you to come and who's this beautiful young lady you brought with you?"

"Emily," Hank stepped next to his wife and placed his arm around her shoulders. "This is the young lady you wanted me to introduce you to. This is Laura Elmer, world wide rescue worker and famed expert on the psychology of rescue workers everywhere."

"We'll now let's not exaggerate here," Laura protested. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Stanley I tried to find a mustache to wear so that I would look like the picture on the back of your husband's book but I just wasn't able to locate one."

With that Mike chuckled, Laura grinned, Emily giggled, she had seen her husbands doodles, and Hank scratched the side of his head and turned red.

"It's so nice to meet you Miss Elmer My husband has gone to bed many a nights reading one of your books."

"Please call me Laura and I'm sorry I've been responsible for distracting your husband from his family. I assure you that was never my intention." Laura shook the offered hand.

Laura was then escorted outside where a chair was pulled up and Mike was pushed into it as Roy stepped up to great Laura and introduce her to his wife and children. Mike watched as Laura stooped down to be able to talk to Roy's children face to face with a smile on her face and Mike marveled how she looked so natural with children.

When Chet, Johnny and Marco arrived at the same time and greeted Laura Mike could feel himself getting a little green inside.

"So are you making any progress with getting settled in?" John slyly asked as he offered Laura a soda from the bucket of ice. Both Chet and Marco were standing close at hand.

"I've managed to find an apartment and picked up some things I'm going to need." Laura began to reveal as she was guided over to a lawn chair near where Mike was sitting and helped to sit down. "I just need to pick up some furniture and I'll move in tomorrow."

"Do you need some help moving in," Mike spoke up from his seat, "We can use my truck and probably get everything in one load."

"Thanks Mike but I don't think that would be a wise thing to do with that ankle of yours, Not if you want to go back to work next shift," Laura carefully declined.

"We'd all be happy to help you move in," Chet Kelly jumped in to offer,

"Sure we can all be there to help you," John Gage was quick to offer, "What time do you want us to show up tomorrow?"

"I'm sure you guys have other things you'd rather be doing on your day off," Laura protested. "I'm sure I'll be able to get the furniture delivered and I can take the rest of the stuff I have in a taxi."

"But that would cost you extra, and we'd be happy to help you," Marco added. "If you're buying furniture then you'll want to wait till after the stores open."

"Whadaya say we meet you at Dixie's place around nine in the morning," Johnny sealed the deal.

"Thank you I really appreciate it and I'll get the donuts and orange juice," Laura promised.

After every one had eaten Chris DeSoto casually sat across the table from Laura and started to make conversation. "Dad let me read the book you wrote about camping, he said that you worked at a camp for a while. What kind of a camp was it? Was it a boy Scout camp?"

"Not really although we did do some Boy Scout merit badges there sometimes." Laura answered the young man's questions. "I was in charge of the first aid station that was situated in the middle between four camps. Most of the children who came were cancer patients or burn patients or handicapped or others who are going through a hardship."

"Wow, did you have a lot of kids in wheel chairs?" Chris's eyes opened wide.

"Yes quite a few," Laura answered, "They like to go camping too."

Mike listened and marveled, 'of course she didn't just work at a normal camp she would be the kind to work with kids going through a hard time.'

00000

Dixie McCall drug her tired body into her apartment to see a stack of boxes and bags in the corner of her living room. A closer look revealed a set of pots and pans, a set of dishes and other kitchen needs and a few towels and bedding accessories. On the front of the stack was a note, 'Sorry about the mess, I have an apartment of my own and will be moving in tomorrow morning and will then be out of your hair and living room. Will try not to be home late tonight but don't feel like you have to wait up for me. I am a big girl now. Laura'


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: I'm happy to announce that my family members are doing much better and would like to thank all of those who sent their best wishes. Her's the next chapter.

Chapter 7

When Kristen Stanley listened to this famous person her father had invited to their home answering Chris DeSoto's questions as if he were just as important as any of the adults at the party she found the courage to ask a few questions of her own. Kristen had researched the earthquake in China and had a lot of questions but since her research had been done entirely by news archives, the only source available to her, it was not all accurate.

Everyone at the party soon gathered around as Laura started talking in detail about the rescue efforts after the China Earthquake and her part in it. Although she didn't go into graphic detail she didn't sugar coat it either. It was clear by her narrative that it hadn't been a pretty picture over there and working under those conditions was definitely not a picnic.

"Why did you do it?" Kristen asked with tears in her eyes, "Why did do you keep going back into those disaster areas? How can you keep from loosing it all with all that death and destruction?"

"I went the first time because I thought I could make a difference, and because going made me feel needed, wanted in some way," Laura answered. "I went the second time because I knew I could make a difference and I'd just finished a lot of training so I was sure I could make a bigger difference than I had before, the third time I was in the area and knew I could make the biggest difference yet because for the first time I was close enough to get there before it was too late. I just might be able to get there before those who were waiting for help died from the lack of it."

Laura paused and looked around at several people before looking back into the young girls eyes. "As for how I kept from loosing it all; I didn't, oh I learned all the tricks to keep going; I'd kid myself that I was just tired, I knew I was making a difference, if it was at all possible to make a difference I knew I could and for the sake of the people I was trying to help I had to keep going. When that wasn't enough I would kid myself that I only had to do it for one more day. And then when I woke up the next morning with too little sleep I'd kid myself into one more day all over again. When that no longer worked I told myself I could hold on until lunch time or just until the sun came up and then it was just until I could get this one patient stabilized. When I finally collapsed I would sit there against what ever I could find to lean against until they brought in the next seriously injured person and then it was the realization that I couldn't save the world but I could make a difference to this one person, even if I couldn't save their life I could hold their hand and bring them comfort, let them know they weren't alone, that someone cared about them, that was enough to get me going again, so I would ask for some help up and go to work one more time and then again when the next person was brought in. That's what it's all about; is doing the best you can with what you have in you and what supplies you have on hand for one person at a time over and over and over again. When I'm finally relieved of duty I sleep nonstop for up to a week, and then it will be weeks or even months before I'll be able to sleep for more than just a few hours at a time. If I'm lucky the world will stay calm until I can pull it all back together, but around the China Earthquake I wasn't very lucky. It started with the earthquake in Indonesia and from there I went straight to China, I was still trying to recover when a tornado went through my home state of New Mexico and before we got that cleaned up I was needed in Mexico to help with a Hurricane. Then from there it was an apartment complex explosion, then a bill in congress that needed my testimony, then a hunting accident that claimed the life of my father followed by a forest fire and the death of my brother. And after that it took half the doctors at Rampart and half the shrinks in Washington State to glue me back together again. And all the firefighters from A-shift of station 51." Laura added as an after thought. "So you see there is a limit to what a person can take, there's a good reason your mother tells you to get eight hours of sleep each night and there's no shame in crying. It's taken years but I think I've finally learned how to say whoa."

"Wow," was all Kristen could say and Laura feared she had overwhelmed the young girl. Then she noticed the silence in everyone else huddled around her and knew she needed to say more.

"My secret for surviving the back to back earthquakes was a great team," Laura added. "There were eight of us that worked together in ways I've never had a team pull together before. We all looked out for each other and recognized when we were each reaching our wits end and knew how to get each of us to let off some steam and loosen up a little. Maggie was great at directing the patients so that I only had to deal with what I specialized in and that cut down on my load. She also knew when I needed a change and would send me an emergency child birth to brighten my day a little. She even slipped me a tranquilizer in my juice once, that's when we learned I don't handle them very well." Several of the men turned a warm gaze in Captain Stanley's directions as Laura talked about her friend Maggie. Laura seamed to drift off to another place and time and didn't seem to notice how the group was drawing parallels to her team as she talked.

"Spenelli was our religion specialist. He worked right along with us and as hard as the next guy but he also was the one who constantly prayed for our soles and reminded us that after we had given everything we had it was a higher power that really called all the shots." Chet reached up and placed his hand on Marco's back and the rest of his team mates gave him a warm smile.

"Durham was the one who would climb into the smallest of holes to get to a victim he'd never give up if there was any evidence of life, he paid for it a few times too." Johnny received a fist in each of his shoulders one from Roy and the other from Chet while the rest of the team snickered.

"Blightner, was the quiet one," Everyone shifted their gaze to Mike and Hank reached out and grabbed the toe of his shoe that was resting on the picnic bench, "She never said much but you name it and she got it done whether it was hauling litters or running the radio to get supplies or transportation she did it." Heads gave a nod thinking the description fit Mike as well, "She's married with a little boy now."

"Gus Gardner was always there when you needed him, he was the one that usually pulled Durham and I out of the messes we got ourselves into and then took care of us. He was the one who duct taped me to a stretcher until I slept off the tranquilizer Maggie slipped me. He also duct taped the IV pole to my back so I could still do surgery while I kept the IV running after I got that debris in my shoulder. We loved to listen to him read letters from home; he had the greatest wife and a couple of real sweet kids that were always writing to him. He was our link to our own families." Eyes and smiles shifted to Roy as his wife wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him close. "He finally said enough is enough and chose to stay home with his family."

"Marie was the greatest nurse to have at your side when you were doing surgery she was really proficient at anesthesia and when we ran out of sutures she had the longest hair of any of us and we would snip a strand when ever we needed something to sew with." Johnny got a few glances as Chet measured his hair with his fingers and decided it wasn't long enough to use as sutures.

"Sy McGregor, he was my Court Jester," the eyes shifted to Chet as Marco reached up and placed his hand on the top of Chet's head to ruffle his hair, "He was also our evac pilot. He knew just when to tell an off color joke or dump a glass of ice water down my neck, or untie my shoe laces. When I came to calming the kids down he was the tops. He was injured in the same explosion where I injured my shoulder but he got the worst of it."

"He died just a couple of weeks ago from his injuries," Chet gave the group some insight into their friend's hint of emotions.

"Yeah, he took a chunk of debris through the back and it ended up next to his heart. We were able to stabilize him but we couldn't repair the damage to his heart, after six surgeries that didn't fix the problem he developed kidney failure and that's what finally took him."

The mood turned slightly somber as they realized Laura's loss and felt a new appreciation for their own crewmates. When one of the Stanley children was sent to turn on the back lights Laura glanced at her watch.

"I've really enjoyed myself tonight and I'd love to stay longer but I am a house guest for one more night and I own Dixie the courtesy of getting in before it's too late."

"I'll drive you to Dixie's place," Mike blurted out while Marco, Chet, and Johnny were getting ready to do the same thing.

Feeling slightly victorious Mike accepted help from Cap and Roy to get to his feet before escorting Laura around the side of the house to his truck.

"Take care of that ankle," Hank called out as Mike pulled away from the curb and once again he and Laura Elmer were alone.

The occupants of the truck rode in silence until Mike reached the first stop light. "Are you going to be alright?"

"Me?" Laura confirmed who Mike was talking to as if there were other's in the car. "Why do you ask?"

"You told a lot of rough stories tonight," Mike explained, "I know you kept everything mild but I'm sure you remembered how difficult it really was."

"Yeah it was tough over there but I really believe I made a difference, I'm able to focus on that now."

"Are you going to miss the work?" Mike continued.

"The agency, absolutely not, the work, I'm still going to be doing the work just with better conditions and better working hours and a new title, the people I worked with, yes, I'm going to miss them, but even if I stayed with the program we wouldn't stay together. Nearly everyone I've worked with has already left or is planning to leave soon."

Laura turned to Mike with moist eyes and a warm smile, she so needed this conversation and was glad he was there to have it with. "I really appreciated the letters you sent me while I was at camp there were days that reading them over and over was the only thing that kept me going."

"Is that why you named your teddy bear Mike?"

"I named him Mike because you gave him to me. He became one of my staff members and as such he needed a name tag. He was very helpful in calming down some of the children while I cleaned up their scrapped knees." Laura's smile brightened. "I had to replace the batteries in him several times."

Mike smiled but kept his attention on the traffic as he moved past a police officer making a traffic stop. When they reached Dixie's apartment building he pulled over and parked then turned his full attention to Laura. "I know you've been writing to some of the other guys."

"Only Captain Stanley and Chet," Laura turned and leaned against the truck door. "They wrote to me and I answered their letters. Captain Stanley his letters, well, once you've read one you've read them all the only change was when it included a letter from his daughter asking me for some information for a school report. Jester Chester just kept asking for ideas on jokes to play and when his third letter arrived I finally realized that he really wanted more information on how to fill the roll of a rescue worker's Court Jester. Your letters were different. You seemed truly interested in how I was doing and kept writing the things I needed at the time I needed them most. Some of those counseling sessions were hard especially as I was dealing with making the decision to discontinue life support on my father and then my brother's suicide. I realized that I felt guilty because I never fully forgave him for shooting our father. I thought that if I had maybe I could have helped him to forgive himself. I even finally realized that as determined as he was there was nothing I could have done to prevent it and that I can't take responsibility for his decisions."

Tears were starting to pool in Laura's eyes as Mike reached out and rest his hand on her's and gave a gentle squeeze. She gave him a warm smile in return.

"Are you sure you're finished with counseling?" Mike asked cautiously.

"I was released three weeks ago after I passed all my psyche evaluations. He said he was sure I could handle everything from there myself."

"But are you fully healed?" Mike pushed still being careful.

"I'm not where I want to be yet but I'm getting closer everyday. Now having a more stable steady paced job is a big help. I'll make it."

"What's next?" Mike inquired.

"I still need to settle in to the new settings a little. Then I need to work on reestablishing my stress relievers. Get to know my way around a little."

"Like jogging?"

"That's one of them." Laura smiled and shook her head.

"What can I do to help?"

"Since you've asked," Laura leaned forward with a look that had tease all over her. "You know that great big map you have in the equipment bay at the station, the one that shoes all the streets in the area? Do you know where I can get one of those?"

"I'll check with Cap when we go back on shift. He just might have an extra one lying around the station." Mike grinned remembering how she kept getting lost in the city and had to have several escorts when she was here before.

"I better be getting in so Mother hen up there can get to sleep." Laura turned away from the door and searched for the door handle.

"Are you going to be able to sleep tonight?" Mike questioned trying to more clearly establish her current mental state.

"That depends, on weather or not Dix is going to continue neuro checks again tonight," Laura laughed.

Mike snickered back, "Sounds like it's a good thing you've got your own place now. Where is your new apartment anyway?" Mike asked just as Laura found the door handle and opened her door.

"Four doors down from you," She said with the biggest smile yet as she quickly kissed him on the cheek and got out of the truck closing the door and hurrying into the building.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mike remained in the truck with his wide eyes focused on the door Laura had quickly entered. As her last words echoed in his mind a smile grew on his face. Giving the steering wheel a good slap he grinned even wider and then turned the ignition and drove home.

00000

At the Stanley residence JoAnne DeSoto had stayed behind with her family to help clean up. Johnny, Marco, and Chet helped move the tables and chairs to where they were normally stored before Hank shooed them off to home so they could be rested and ready for the moving party in the morning.

When the last of the three bachelors drove off, Hank gathered his family and the DeSotos in the family room.

"Laura talked tonight about the value of a good team," Hank began as he pulled a book from his book shelf and took a seat in full view of everyone gathered. "I have to agree with her and I think you all saw how our team parallels her best team in a lot of ways. But there is one asset that Roy and I have to help us get through the hard times and the rough shifts that Laura no longer has." Hank then opened his book and read a section from a Chapter titled 'the positive and Negative effects of Teddy Bears', the part that told of the value of family members and the healing power of a hug.

"Does that mean my hugs help make my Daddy feel better?" young Jennifer DeSoto asked when Hank finished reading. Hank nod his head with a moistened smile then pulled his children together in a group hug while Roy pulled all of his family together.

"I'm personally very grateful for each and everyone of my family members especially my dear sweet wife." Hank responded as he reached out and took hold of his wife's out stretched hand.

"Same here," Roy managed to respond as he pulled his wife close with one arm while his two children had to share the other one.

00000

At Nurse McCall's apartment Dixie gave Laura a parent type grilling about the party and how she enjoyed it before turning in for the night. Laura changed into a clean pair of jogging shorts and a t-shirt before flopping on the sofa. After staring at the ceiling for some time she gave up and retrieved her teddy bear from the side strap on her travel bag. Turning the heart beat recording on Laura pulled the Bear close and wrapped both arms around it as she bounced her toes against the arm of the couch.

00000

At his apartment Mike unwrapped his ankle and took an ice bag to bed with him as he lay there looking at his ceiling he thought about how Laura had helped him come to grips with the death of his father and felt good that he had managed to write something in his letters to her that helped her come to grips with the deaths in her life. Still there was something more, his heart rate was more like it would be if he had just climbed into the fire engine after an alarm not like someone lying in bed ready to go to sleep and he just couldn't stop smiling. Mike pulled his extra pillow over onto his chest and wrapped both arms around it ducking his face in the pillow to hide his smile, from who he had no idea, but whomever he was hiding from he couldn't hide for long because he had to come up for air.

00000

Dixie made a trip to the bathroom in the night and couldn't resist the urge to at least look in on her guest. She found her sleeping face down with the pillow on top of her head and her arm wrapped tightly around a teddy bear holding its head between her chin and her shoulder. In Dixie's mind the only thing missing was her thumb in her mouth.

At 8:40 a.m. the next morning three half awake firemen dressed in jeans and t-shirts clumped up the stairs to the second floor nursing their cups of coffee as they climbed. When they knocked on the door Dixie answered wearing a house dress and having her hair up in a towel.

"Well good morning boys, you're early," Dixie welcomed them in as they each gave her a genuine good morning, "Laura is out jogging but she said if you got here before she got back to tell you to help yourselves to the donuts and orange juice waiting in the kitchen."

The three firemen followed Dixie to her breakfast nook to find three boxes of donuts and two gallons of orange juice sitting on the counter. "I expect her back any minute now she's been gone for over an hour," Dixie commented as she opened the first of the boxes of donuts and pushed it toward the gathered men.

"So which one of you is planning on taking her out to dinner tonight?" Dixie asked with a smile as each one of the men reached for the same jelly filled donut. In response to Dixie's question all three men raised their hands, two more confidently than the third. Dixie wasn't surprised.

"You guys might as well just stand back," Chet Kelly proclaimed with a smug look on his face, "Since I've been writing to her you two don't stand a chance."

Marco who had been the least confident of the bunch was quick to back down but Johnny wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet.

"Don't go counting your chickens before they're hatched there Chester B. I can tell that she and I have a cultural connection."

"A cultural connection!" Chet turned and stood on his toes so that he was face to face with Johnny. "What are you talking about the fact that you're both paramedics or are you trying to imply that she's some kind of Indian Princess?"

"What if I am?" they heard and all turned to face the front door where Laura stood in her jogging clothes with her hands on her hips.

"Nah, she's not an Indian, her hair's the wrong color." Chet contended never knowing when to keep his mouth shut.

"Alright, I'm only half Indian, I got my hair color and many of my physical features from my Father but my Mother was a full blood Pueblo, the only Daughter of one of the tribal Elders."

"So that's why your middle name is Morningstar!" Dixie found some insight as Chet stood stunned while Johnny gave an, I just moved up a notch, grin.

"Let's make one thing clear right now. If you guys are offering to help me move so that you can lay claims on me you might as well go home right now. For the record I have already accepted an invitation with Mike for tonight to make up for the dinner I so rudely refused to wake up for the last time I was in town. Now if any of you have a problem with that I'd just assume get my belongings to my apartment another way."

"You can't possible be planning on carrying all this stuff there on the buss are you?" Chet again spoke with out thinking clearly.

"That won't be a problem," They heard and turned their attention back to the door where Mike was leaning against the door frame.

"Of course we don't expect anything in return," Johnny stepped forward, "we're just doing this out of friendship for a fellow rescue worker. Your book, keep the Rescuers Rescuing had been such a help to me every time we have a rough call. I feel like I owe you for helping me keep my sanity."

"What sanity," Chet jibbed, "You haven't had any of that as long as I've known you."

"That's because you drive me crazy when ever your around," Johnny Jibbed back. "Mike I thought you couldn't help today because of your ankle?"

"You didn't go jogging with Laura this morning did you?" Dixie continued to act her profession if not a little motherly.

Laura smiled in Mike's direction then turned back to Dixie, "No he didn't go jogging with me he was just waiting for me when I finished my run."

"It's the early fire fighter that gets the Medex," Mike gave as an explanation as he eyed the other three firefighters who exchanged glances among themselves. "The ankle feels much better this morning and even if she won't let me carry stuff upstairs I have a truck and I can still drive."

"As if I'm going to need all these trucks at my disposal," Laura rolled her eyes and shook her head, "that corner over there holds the sum of my possessions to be moved and the bed and wicker furniture I'll be picking up on the way."

"So Michael how is that head of yours coming along?" Dixie asked catching Mike scratching his head.

"It's fine just itches a little bit," Mike insisted quickly dropping his hand to his side.

"That could be a sign of an infection starting." Laura set her glass of orange juice down and motioned Mike toward a chair. "We better have a look at it."

While Mike reluctantly moved toward the chair he had been directed to Laura scrubbed her hands and then moved over to Dixie's side since she was starting to look for the laceration through Mike's thick head of hair.

"That doesn't look bad at all," Dixie commented as Johnny looked in from Mike's other side.

"What kind of stitches are those?" Johnny looked confused.

"Laura tied the laceration together with my hair," Mike reported with pride, "It was a whole lot better than having a bald spot shaved in my head.

"He was scratching over this way." Laura directed and moved a few locks of hair out of the way until she found the red spot on his scalp. "When did your head start itching?"

"This morning while I was waiting for you to finish your run," Mike answered, "It felt like something was crawling all over my head there for a while."

"Do you have a comb on you by any chance?" Laura inquired with a serious expression taking the comb that Mike pulled from his pants pocket. After carefully pulling the comb through his hair Laura found what she was looking for. "Here it is, that tree you sat under while you were waiting for me this morning must be infested with ants. It looks like the little bugger bit you. Hold on a second and I'll but something on it to stop the itch."

In quick order Laura had a salve pulled out of her travel bag and rubbed a small dot of it into Mike's scalp and then everyone picked up an arm load of the stuff in the corner and headed for a truck, with everyone pitching in it only took one trip and Mike argued that he had to go down the stairs anyway he might as well have his arms full on the way.

Dixie carried the left over donuts and orange juice down and put it in the truck cab declaring she didn't want that stuff left around her place. Everything easily fit in Johnny's rover where it could be closed in and there was no chance of it blowing out as they drove. The next stop was the furniture store were the store employee's were quick to load the purchased items while Laura paid the bill and picked up a tool kit to assemble the bed and book case. It took a little doing but they were able to place items in each truck to make everyone who had come feel needed.

When everything was tied down the drives looked to Laura requesting the final address.

"Just follow me," Mike directed and helped Laura into the cab of his truck before walking around to the driver's side.

"It looks to me as if Mike has this situation all sewn up." Marco commented before moving for his truck.

"Í think Marco's right," Johnny conceded, "But if things don't work out I'm definitely going to make my presents known."

"You'll have to get there before I do," Chet added with a smile peeking out from under his mustache.

The three wanabe courters were surprised when Mike pulled into his own apartment complex but upon learning that Laura's apartment was four doors down from Mike they all knew for sure they didn't stand a chance.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Once the trucks were parked in the loading zone Laura was quick to take charge and when she ordered Mike to get off his ankle he was quick to remind her that he had to go up the stairs anyway so he might at well take an arm load.

Laura consented to let him carry the couch cushions while she jumped right in with Marco and the two of them carried the couch. Johnny and Chet each grabbed a chair and followed and when Mike started to follow the guys out for the second load Laura put him in charge of directing traffic and seeing to it that everything was sent to the room it would be used. After each of the rest of the moving party had carried 4 to 5 loads to the apartment the trucks were empty and moved to visitor parking except for Mike who just parked in his assigned parking stall. It was only 11 a.m.

Mike went to work unpacking all of the dishes and pots and pans and other kitchen items doing his best to smash the boxes flat so they would be easy to throw away. That is after he taped several pieces together to put under the short leg of the dinning room table that had been left by the previous tenant.

Marco helped Laura assemble the end tables and bookshelf while Chet and Johnny tackled the job of putting the bed together.

"It surprises me that she would only get a twin bed," Chet commented as he was helping Johnny screw together the shelf headboard to the bed.

"I guess she isn't planning to do any entertaining," Johnny responded with a smirk.

"NO I don't plan on doing any entertaining with my bed, in my bed or even in my bed room, not now or ever." Johnny and Chet turned red faced to the door to see Laura standing there with her hands on her hips and a less than pleasant look on her face. "I think you two better just get out of here and leave the bed assembly to me before you get any more ideas."

"I didn't mean that the way it sounded," Johnny quickly tried to apologize but Laura wasn't buying it.

"That's okay I can take it from here, you boys have done your part," Laura motioned toward the door as Mike came to see what was going on.

"What's wrong?"

"Johnny here opened his mouth and something disgusting escaped from that warped brain of his," Chet explained hoping to escape from being blamed for any part of what was said.

"Me?" Johnny defended, "You're the one that was asking why she only got a twin bed."

"I want to thank you all very much for helping me move today but I can honestly manage everything from here." Laura continued to gesture toward the door as politely persistent as possible. "If I let you guys do any more I won't be able to find anything when I need it."

Laura made her way to the kitchen to retrieve the remaining donuts to hand to the men she was chasing out of her apartment when there was a knock on the door.

"Well that can't be for me," Laura responded to the knock on the door, "Mike would you please answer that and help them find who their looking for?" Laura then proceeded into the kitchen as Mike opened the door to find a Latino man standing there with a foot locker in his arms and a child of about eight who looked to be of Asian descent standing next to him carrying a duffel bag.

"Can I help you?" Mike asked and Marco stepped up incase he was needed to translate.

"I'm looking for the apartment of Laura Elmer?" he spoke in perfect English.

Hearing her name, Laura stuck her head out of the kitchen to see who was there. "Carlos! Robert! What are you two doing here? Where are the girls?" Laura made her way toward the door thrusting the boxes of donuts into Marco's hands as she moved. "Come in if you can get in."

Where do you want this?" Carlos gave a gesture with the foot locker he was carrying.

"Just set it anywhere," Laura pointed to a chair, "I didn't expect to see you for two weeks."

"Yeah well Bobby and I decided we needed a father son outing and we wanted to inspect your new apartment to make sure you didn't get yourself into some dump." He looked around the room cluttered with boxes. "How many places did you look at before you settled on this one?"

"This one," Laura answered defensively. "It's close to the hospital I'm going to be working at and has a bus stop out front, what more could I ask for?"

"Actually it's not bad for you, you'd be happy in a tent with a rip in the top of it." Carlos teased as young Robert continued to carry the duffel bag and smiled at his father's joke.

"Yeah, well I was appreciative for the air-conditioning." Laura jibbed back as Mike and his shift mates broke out in smiles at the teasing.

"And when it rained?" Carlos added.

"I was the only one in camp that didn't have to walk to the shower." Laura was giggling now and after giving Robert a hug she threw her arms around Carlos's shoulders.

"Who are your friends?" Carlos inquired with all the tact of an older brother.

"Sorry about that, everybody this is a close family friend, Carlos Garcia and his son Robert. Carlos is an engineer on a fire float on the Puget Sound near Bremerton Washington just out of Seattle. Carlos these are some new friends here in LA, Marco Lopez, and Chester Kelly, John Gage, and Mike Stoker their all firemen too. In fact they're part of the crew that pulled me off the ledge on my most recent escapade with tranquilizers."

"I want to thank you boys for what you did, this girl is mighty special to a lot of people," Carlos spoke sincerely; "It's one of those things I just can't understand. If you give a thousand people a tranquilizer nine hundred and ninety nine of them will go to sleep but this girl's body gets taken over by aliens."

"We noticed," Johnny joked.

"I'm sure glad she's going to be working with people that understand that, it's also going to be nice keeping her in one place for a while." Carlos continued to tease just a little while expressing himself.

"My mail always caught up with me, eventually," Laura shrugged her shoulders. "I actually got your wedding announcement six months after the wedding."

"It's a good thing we didn't rely on the mail then isn't it."

"Yeah, it was, so what brings you here today, you didn't drive all the way down from Washington just to bring me that foot locker did you? I mean there's nothing in there that couldn't wait for two weeks when you come down to Disneyland for vacation."

"I was having nightmares about you standing at a bus stop at one a.m. in the rain so I had to get you some wheels so I can sleep at nights," Carlos answered.

"But you said that the truck needed a lot of work and you didn't think you could get it done before you came for vacation," Laura questioned with a scowl on her face.

"That truck has too many miles on it Laura; it's not worth the money it's going to take to get it running right." Carlos informed and Mike could see that he was bracing himself for some expected response from Laura.

Laura's face turned suddenly serious, "What did you do?"

Carlos stretched out his hand with a set of keys in it but Laura didn't take them from him, instead she glared at him waiting for an answer. Carlos responded by flipping his hand to show the keychain and Laura's expression went from serious to looking like she had seen a ghost.

Mike quickly moved a box from the sofa and helped Laura to sit down as Carlos found his voice.

"You know the only reason your father kept that car around for so long is because he wanted you to have it."

"But you--,"

"I only took it to keep you form selling it to someone who wouldn't give it back when you were ready for it." Carlos cut her off. "What good is a car like that to a family man like me any way?"

Laura continued to look at him in shock and disbelief and he kept his hand with the keys outstretched in her direction. Finally after a long silent minute Laura reached up and took the keys from Carlos's hand and tightened her fingers around them pulling them close to her.  
Carlos stood silently watching her until she sighed in relief and then took the duffel bag from his son before speaking again. "We also thought that you were finally ready to bring this alive again." He said as he unzipped the bag and pulled a violin case from with in.

Laura closed her eyes and shook her head solemnly. "I'm not ready for that yet but I'm getting closer." Laura acknowledged. "I guess maybe having it around will help things along."

"Glad I brought it to you then," was Carlos's reply but it was accompanied by a subtle sigh of relief.

Laura and her moving party then made their way to the parking lot where a large u-haul truck was parked in a yellow zone. Carlos raised the back door to revel a car covered with a canvas car cover. Carlos proceeded to pull the loading ramps out and with the help of Marco, Johnny and Chet put them in place.

"Do you want the honors or should I do it?" Carlos turned his attention to Laura who stood taking in the car with a multitude of emotions in her facial features.

"I'll do it," Laura finally answered in hesitance and started walking up the loading ramp and then stepping around the cars bumper. She reached down and unlatched the canvas cover on one side at Carlos reached up from the ground and unlatched the cover on the other side and then Laura began to roll the cover away from the car exposing the turquoise blue Mustang convertible hidden beneath.

Unable to open the door in the confines of the truck Laura pushed herself up and slipped inside the driver's side window and into position behind the steering wheel. As she sat there in silence moving her hand across the steering wheel Carlos took hold of Mike's arm and gently tugged him to the far side of the truck out of Laura's sight and away from his shift mates.

"Laura received several letters from a Mike Stoker while she stayed in the apartment over our garage. Are you that Mike Stoker?" Carlos inquired.

"Yeah, I've written to her, she really helped me out and my family too. She helped me find the circumstances of my father's death and come to grips with it." Mike answered not sure weather to be afraid of this man or not.

"You know that she's had a really hard time then?" Carlos continued to question Mike.

"Yeah," Mike answered still confused as to why they were having that conversation.

"I'm really glad that she finally left that organization she was working for, I think this is a really good move for her." Carlos was talking quietly and quickly, "I feel a lot better about her being here knowing that she has a friend keeping an eye on her."

"I know what you mean." Mike acknowledged feeling more at ease himself.

"If she needs anything or she has any problems give me a call, night or day, My station phone number is on the front and my home phone is on back of the card" Carlos added as he slipped a business card in Mike's shirt pocket before hearing the engine of the car turn over.

Stepping back behind the truck Carlos started motioning toward himself with his hands. "Just ease her straight back now," he called as the car gave a slight jolt at being shifted into gear and slowly backed onto the ramps and down onto the asphalt.

"Wow, that is one sweet ride," Chet Kelly exclaimed as he, Johnny and Marco walked around the car taking it in with awe and longing in their eyes.

When the drooling firemen were clear Laura again put the car in gear and pulled into her assigned parking stall before getting out and running her hand along the hood of the car.

"You've never even driven this car," Laura exclaimed as the men gathered around her once again. "It has less than sixty miles on her."

"Like I said I knew your father wanted you to have it I just agreed to store it for you until you came to your senses."

"What makes you think I've come to my senses?" Laura sighed questioningly and nearly glared at her friend.

"You finally quit that international medical organization for one," Carlos answered with a smile, "I've caught you smiling a time or two for another." "Besides I didn't think driving your brother's truck was in your best interest. You'd be too tempted to just sleep in the hospital parking lot and it's already broken down on you three times, and that's just in the last month."

"So does it really need a lot of work?" Laura was clearly questioning her friend's motives.

"It needs a new trans, a major carburetor overhaul and a rear axel. Not to mention new tires and a windshield and I think your rings are leaking a little." Carlos listed.

"So what do I owe your for the work you've done to get this thing up and running?" Laura eyed her friend over.

"Well I was wondering if you would be willing to part with that camper," Carlos suggested, "It will fit on my truck just great."

"Deal," Laura agreed.

"Well sorry to drop everything and run but I have to report for duty in the morning." Carlos moved to slide the loading ramps back in the truck and shut the door.

"You're not driving all the way back to Bremerton tonight are you?" Laura questioned as Carlos shook his son awake and guided him to ward the door.

"No, one of my buddies has a pilot's license and since he was down here for a conference already he offered to fly Bobby and me home with him."

"Is he a good pilot?"

"Don't worry Laura, I remember everything you taught me about making an emergency landing, and I'll still never use it." Carlos chided back as he continued his way out the door. "Sure nice meeting you guys it's good to know Laura has friends who understand her."

"Call me—"

"When I get home," Carlos finished her request and it was clear that she had made the request often. "I'll see you in two weeks and we'll have more time to talk then."

When Carlos and his son left Johnny, Marco and Chet excused themselves and each one took an arm load of empty and flattened boxes to the dumpster on their way to their cars as they left.

Mike stayed behind looking at what was left to be done, "Where would you like me to move this foot locker to?"

"It goes in the bedroom but I'll take care of it." Laura made it clear he was not welcomed in her bedroom and he figured she was still reeling from Johnny's poor taste in words that Mike was sure Johnny had no idea she could hear when he said them.


	10. Chapter 10

The kids are all back in school now and I have some quiet time to write here's the next chapter

Chapter 10

Mike rested his ankle in his apartment while watching out the deck doors for any sign of Laura. He was planning a nice home cooked dinner for her but after the way she sent the others home he was a little worried that she had forgotten about it or changed her mind.

Through the sliding doors to his deck Mike noticed Laura walking to the dumpster with a tall stack of cardboard boxes and watched as she stopped to look at the once again covered car in her parking stall. Noticing that she was leaning against one of the support post thoughtfully Mike made his way down to her side and stood there silently.

"It was my mother's car," Laura let Mike know she knew he was there, "My dad built it for her from scrap body parts then ordered a new engine to put in it for her birthday, He gave it to her just before she died," Laura finished her explanation, "She never even got to drive it."

"How did she die?" Mike asked and watched carefully for Laura's reaction.

"I was about 10 years old at the time and she was very pregnant with twins. About eight and a half months along, that's why she never drove the car she couldn't get behind the wheel she was so pregnant. One day while I and my brother were at school she started bleeding but just thought she was going into labor so she waited a little too long before she called my dad to come take her to the clinic. When he got her there they told him that her placenta was pulling away from the lining of the uterus and she needed an immediate C-section. They weren't equipped to do that at that clinic so they ordered an ambulance to take her to a hospital where they could. It was a forty-five minute drive and she bleed out on the way. Both her and the babies were dead on arrival."

Mike stepped closer and set his hand across Laura's shoulders trying not to be too confining.

"I really wasn't thinking straight when I tried to sell it. I was glad that Carlos took it but I never dreamed he planned all along to give it back to me. I wondered why he still had it up on blocks when I was staying with him after the camp closed down for the school year."

Mike started to rub Laura's shoulder and she turned her attention away from the car and looked at Mike. "So what brings you out here?"

"I was just wondering if we were still on for Dinner tonight?" Mike asked hesitantly.

"Yes I'm looking forward to it, what time and what do you want me to bring?" Laura responded with a smile and making no attempt to pull away from Mike. Still Mike played is safe.

"Dinner will be ready about six and just bring yourself," Mike managed to answer through his own smile.

00000

Mike had just changed into nicer clothes and was making yet another check on dinner when he heard the knock on the door.

He wasn't in the least surprised to see Laura standing in the hall way waiting to be invited in but he was surprised at how lovely she looked, She was wearing another form fitting blouse with a free flowing skirt and comfortable looking slip on shoes, her hair was pulled to one side and hung in ringlets at the side of her face that had a little more make up than Mike was used to seeing on Laura but she looked lovely.

"Come in," Mike welcomed her.

"Thanks for playing phone tag earlier," Laura commented. When she told her friend Carlos to call her when he got home she had forgotten that her phone wouldn't be operational for two more days. So when Carlos got home he called the only number he had for her which was Dixie's apartment, Dixie didn't have Mike's number but she managed to get a hold of Johnny who called Mike and then Mike ran down the hall to tell Laura the Carlos and his son had arrived home safely.

"Any time," Mike answered with a never ending smile as he guided Laura to the sofa, "Dinner will be about another five minutes I thought we could have a drink while we're waiting," Mike was quick to notice the hesitant look on Laura's face and quickly picked up the bottle from the ice bucket on the table. "I got the non alcoholic wine," He showed her the bottle and she sighed in relief and smiled warmly.

"Thank you," Laura offered and watched as Mike poured the wine.

As he handed Laura her glass Mike ventured to start a conversation, "I've been wanting to ask you about what you said when we arrived at Cap's house last night. Did you really get shot by someone else's wife once?"

Laura giggled nervously and sipped at her drink then with a bright red face looked up at Mike, "Yeah, I'm afraid I did, The woman was convinced that her husband was having an affair and convinced I was the one he was having it with, not true by the way, fortunately her husband was able to grab her hand that held the gun and I just wound up with a flesh wound in the leg just above my knee. That's why I had the taxi driver park at the corner and wait until I saw someone else drive up last night so I wouldn't have to enter alone."

"You did? So your arriving just as I got out of my truck wasn't a coincidence?"

"Nope," Laura grinned sheepishly. "Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, I was mad at myself for not offering to drive you in the first place."

When the oven timer dinged, Laura was led to the dinning room table and seated in a chair as Mike retrieved dinner from the oven and placed it on the table taking time to light the candles and turn down the lights before he claimed his seat. During the course of dinner Mike learned that Carlos was a young man who had 'aged out' of foster care and Laura's father, who had endured a similar situation, took him under his wing and gave him a place to stay and helped him find work as a smoke jumper working forest fires. He later joined the navy but got sick during boot camp and was left so anemic that he received a medical discharge. After he regained his health and got a job with the fire department in Washington, he married and soon found out that he couldn't father children. Laura had helped he and his wife adopt a little girl and then when she was in China she worked to rescue the children from an orphanage that had collapsed in the earth quake and managed to arrange for several of the children adopted in the United States, Carlos and Malinda adopted two children and gave them American names, Robert and his sister Jasmine.

Laura already knew a lot about Mike from the time she spent trapped in a collapsed apartment building with his father but she was able to turn the attention away from her self and show off her knowledge of firefighting by using the proper terms to ask questions about Mike's fire truck and equipment.

When neither of them could eat another bite Laura helped wash the dishes and then Mike took her for a ride in his truck to the beach for a romantic stroll in the moonlight.

As they walked and felt the waves at their feet Mike became aware of Laura tensing up at his side. Her breathing was that of panic and fear.

"Laura, are you alright? You're not afraid of me are you? I'm not going to hurt you." Mike questioned as he loosened his grip on her hand but kept contact by holding her fingers in his open hand, she could have easily pulled away but she didn't.

"No, it's not you," Laura continued to breath heavy but then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath and let it out. Mike recognized her forced effort to relax and calm herself. She then tightened her hold on his hand and forced another relaxing breath then opened her eyes and looked around.

"Laura? Talk to me, what's going on here?" Mike persisted but managed to keep his voice calm.

"I knew they weren't really there but for a minute all I could see was bodies, Dead bodies on the beach."

"What," Mike spoke in confusion and then he realized something, "It was a flashback wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Laura whispered as she continued to look around. Her breathing was easing now and her facial features calming.

"Where was it that you saw bodies on the beach?" Mike focused hard on keeping his voice calm and pleasant as he reached up with his other hand and started to rub Laura's back. "Do you need to get away from here?"

Laura turned her attention to Mike and looked at him for a moment. "No, I'm alright now it was just so real there for a minute."

Carefully Mike guided Laura to a large rock away from the waters edge and brushed it off before he helped her to sit down. "Where was it that you've seen bodies on the beach?" He asked a second time as he watched her closely for her reaction.

Laura thought for a moment and then looked at Mike with a measure of surprise in her eyes. "I've never seen a beach that wasn't littered with bodies."

"Never?" Mike couldn't comprehend her answer.

"Well there's not a lot of beaches in Mountainair New Mexico the first time I was on a beach was after a hurricane came up the gulf of Mexico and struck the Texas coast line. We pulled the bodies from three shrimp trollers and one oil rig off the beach that day. There were tsunami's involved in the earth quacks in Pakistan, Indonesia and one of the after shocks in China and then the hurricane that hit Baja. There was a small village on the Mexican coast that was swallowed up by the sea and the people were spit out again on a beach nearly fifty miles north, some of the bodies were never found." Laura paused and looked out at the ocean then back at Mike, "this is honestly the first time I've ever seen a beach with out bodies laying all over it."

"I've been at the beach around lakes and the Sounds in Washington but they don't, they don't have the same wave action, the same sounds. Not like here." Laura analyzed her own feelings trying to figure out how to keep the flash backs from coming back again.

"Are you okay?" Mike questioned again after Laura had remained silent for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm okay I just had to think it out a minute." Laura turned to Mike again and then rolled her eyes around to see what was around her once more. "The sunset is really beautiful the way it reflects off the water."

"Yeah it is." Mike knelt down on one knee next to Laura and continued to hold her hand.

"One of my fellow rescue workers talked one night of digging clams on the beach and having a clam bake over an open fire and playing volley ball and swimming." Laura's gaze was distant as she tried to remember. "She thought of the beach as a real partying place."

"A lot of people do," Mike commented, "During the day this very beach is nearly covered with people laying all over trying to get a tan. But they're all very much alive, Kids running around chasing each other and building sand castles. Throwing bucket of water on their parents to try and get them to come play with them."

As Mike gave his description of a day at the beach Laura looked at him and marveled at the peace in his eyes, "Would you do me a favor?"

"If I can,"

"Bring me back here someday when it's like that so I can try and replace the memories I have with happier ones."

"What have you got planned for tomorrow?" Mike wasn't one to waist time.

"Tomorrow," Laura thought, "I need to get in some flight time in the morning and then I need to check on a few things but I could wait until the day after while you're back at work."

"Then I'll bring you back tomorrow afternoon," Mike finalized.

"I have a salad recipe that is a balanced meal and you throw it together at the last minute so it makes a really good picnic lunch," Laura offered.

"Sounds great to me," Mike smiled.

He then guided Laura back to his truck and drove her home worrying as he drove about how Laura was going to sleep tonight after he had brought back all those horrid memories.

Holding her hand he walked her to her apartment door where they proceeded to say good night.

"Do you want to go flying with me in the morning and make a day of it?"

"I'd love to." Mike answered and his next day was planned.

Reluctantly Mike let her walk through her door then walked down the hall to his own apartment.

After waking up every hour on the hour through the night Mike was aware of some one jogging past his door and noticed the time was 5:30 a.m. he rolled over and sat up on the side of his bed and after testing his ankle decided to get in the shower and get ready.

An hour later there was a knock at his door and he opened it to see Laura dresses in a pair of light colored one piece flight suit sporting the logo for Civil Air Patrol over the left breast pocket and on the shoulders, Major's clusters on the collar. Her hair was still wet from the shower and pulled back in a tight ponytail, she was carrying an ice chest and small duffle bag. "Are you ready to go?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Mike answered with a smile as he reached out and took the ice chest from Laura. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans and a pair of sneakers.

"I thought we could take my car for a change," Laura spoke as they walked.

"Ah, I don't think that would be a good idea," Mike changed her plans carefully, "I noticed yesterday that it hasn't been registered for several years and a, not in this state, and, a, you could get a ticket around here for that sort of thing."

"Oh, I didn't even think about that." Laura stopped and looked at Mike, "I probably better get some insurance on her too."

"That would be a good idea," Mike agreed, "And it would probably be a good idea to have it looked over good, some of the hoses may have rotted out while it was in storage."

"Boy, I've been out of the states way too much these last years." Laura then looked at Mike, "Okay but at least let me pay for the gas today."

Mike wanted to refuse but knowing Laura even as little as he did he thought better of it. "I'll go half with you."

Once they arrived at the airport, a small one Mike had no knowledge of Laura was met by a man wearing the same flight suit that Laura was wearing but his rank insignia was only lieutenant. After showing identification Laura and Mike were led to a hanger and Mike was surprised to find they plane they were led to didn't have an engine.

"A sail plane!" Mike exclaimed.

"Yep I don't have a license to fly anything that can be used in a rescue." Laura explained, "The last thing I want to do is fly a plane and take care of the patients at the same time."

The Lieutenant watched over Laura as she explained the workings of the plane to Mike and tested all the flaps then she and Mike pushed the plane out of the hanger and onto the runway. Mike was strapped in and Laura added several bags of weights to balance out their weight and climbed in the back seat. When the drag plane had reached the proper altitude Laura gave Mike the chance to pull the release and drop the tow rope.

Mike was surprised that they gained altitude once they were on their own but after the drag plane turned away from them and prepared to land Mike was even more surprised by the calm silence that surrounded him. No motors just a quiet swish of the wind and they were moving so slowly that he almost felt like they were floating in mid air. For the next four hours Laura maneuvered the plane around the airport never letting it out of her sight. This was one of the conditions for her first flight in this area. She even let Mike take the controls a few times and gained a new convert to the love of sail planes.

When they finally set down Mike was still on cloud nine. "Wow that was awesome."

"I still need another six hours before they'll let me teach the kids here. You want to go up again sometime?"

"Yeah! Oh yeah," Mike let his willingness be shown.

While they drove to the beach Mike worked hard to keep Laura talking so that he could judge her stress levels. "So is that one of your stress relievers? Flying I mean?"

"Yeah sometimes, It can be kind of stressful is certain weather patterns."

"Are there other stress relievers I can help you with?" Mike inquired having learned the night before that walking on the beach was not one of them.

"Back home there was this cliff I would always climb and then sit on this out cropping until I had thought everything out. I even spent the night up there a couple of times," Laura began to explain. "When I'm really stressed I find it easier to unwind the higher I get. I'm sure that had something to do with me climbing out on that ledge in the hospital. I really don't think I was planning to jump but then I really don't remember anything."

"NO, I was pretty sure you weren't thinking of jumping," Mike remembered the day he and his crewmates were called to pull her off the ledge. "It seemed to me that you felt safe there you kept asking us to give you time to wake up so you could think straight."

"Well that's a relief," Laura sighed.

"But it was still pretty dangerous for you," Mike added.

"I'll promise to find a safer place to go think and do my best to always be completely sober when I'm there," Laura assured her host.

"Johnny might be able to show you some places like that around here," Mike thought out loud.

"Mister Entertainment in the bedroom! No thanks." Laura quickly vetoed that idea and Mike felt a little relieved.

The afternoon at the beach went much better than it had the night before but it was clear Laura didn't find it as relaxing nor as romantic as Mike did but them with her memories Mike could understand. Laura's salad was great but she made so much that they had enough for both lunch and dinner. As they sat in Mike's truck on a scenic view point watching the sun set Laura was resting her head on his shoulder and Mike had his arm around her.

"Mike have you told your mother I'm back?"

"Not yet," Mike grinned knowing exactly what Laura was worried about.

"Your sister?"

"No way," Mike giggled.

"Good I think we need to set our own pace. Just promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Don't let me hurt you. If I get out of control or start loosing it again Run as far away and as fast as you can."

Mike looked into her eyes that were starting to pool with moisture and pulled her closer to him. "I think I'm already in to far for that."

For a moment they just looked at each other and then their lips touched, lightly and carefully at first and then passionately and aggressively.


	11. Chapter 11

The kids are all back in school now and I have some quiet time to write here's the next chapter

Chapter 11

Laura was just returning from her jog the next morning as Mike was pulling out to head to the station. They exchanged waves and smiles as their paths crossed and continued on their way. Mike had recommended a trusted mechanic and drawn her a map to get her there, now although he feared for her safety on the road, she was on her own because he had to go to work.

As Mike walked into the station it was his concern for Laura that kept the 'tell all in one glance' smile off of his face. He quickly changed into her uniform and looked up to see Marco, Chet, Johnny and Roy all coming through the locker room door one right after the other.

"Mike, Cap was asking for you," Roy commented as he began to change his clothes.

"Mike there you are," Cap exclaimed walking in after hearing Roy greet his engineer. "Hey pal where were you yesterday I tried to call you all afternoon."

"I was out all day I didn't get home till real late. What did you want me for?"

"I bet he was down the hall visiting with his new neighbor all day," Chet chimed in with a sing song tone in his voice and winking his eye at the engineer.

"You'd loose that bet," Mike responded before turning his attention back to his captain.

"Of course he didn't stay in her apartment with her, they went out cruising in that sweet convertible of hers." Johnny input with an air of superiority.

"Nope," Mike answered bringing a look of confusion to the faces in the locker room. "Why were you calling me Cap?"

"I just wanted to check on your injuries, your hand and ankle and make sure you were going to be able to work this shift," Cap explained.

"I'm fine, Cap, the ankle is much better and Laura took the bandage off my hand last night. She said I might want to keep a glove handy until I toughen up the hide a little but it's fine, see." Mike produced his hand for his captain's inspection.

"Well that doesn't look so bad, how about the ankle do you have it wrapped or taped at all?" The captain evaluated.

"I have a sock type brace on under my shoe," Mike admitted, "just as a precaution, really it's fine."

"What about your head," Marco just couldn't resist and the grin under his mustache was very evident, "Any more itches."

"You got a head injury too!" Captain Stanley exclaimed.

"It's just a small laceration," Mike rolled his eyes, "it's nothing to worry about."

"Did you loose consciousness?" Roy stepped up and started looking at Mike's eyes.

"NO, I didn't loose consciousness," Mike cringed yet again.

"You got' a see his stitches Roy, Laura used his hair to tie the laceration shut so she wouldn't have to shave the hair around the laceration." Johnny spoke with excitement showing his own amazement.

"You mean you never had a doctor look you over?" Captain Stanley's voice rose to show his frustration.

"I was treated at Rampart Emergency and Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early watched over her shoulder and supervised her work." Mike let out in frustration. "I'm just fine."

"I want to see those stitches," Roy commented as he zipped up his pants before moving toward Mike.

In resignation Mike plopped down on the bench and soon had five sets of hands going on a field trip through his hair.

"This is really cool, is it hard to comb your hair?" Johnny asked.

"I have to be a little careful but it's no big deal."

"Are there any restrictions on shampooing?" Roy wandered out loud.

"I had to wait until this morning to shampoo for the first time and I have to use baby shampoo for another week." Surrounded by his team mates Mike was hunched over on the bench in the locker room under all of their hands rolling his eyes but no one saw.

"So has Laura been doing this kind of thing long?" Hank spoke with amazement and curiosity at the same time.

"It's the only way she ever sutured these kinds of wounds in the field because she never had enough supplies for all the injuries she was expected to treat." Mike answered and was very happy when Captain Stanley announced.

"Roll call in five minutes."

Everyone filed out of the locker room to get their morning cup of coffee and a donut leaving Mike behind with a totally messed up head of hair. As he found his comb and stepped up to the mirror Mike remembered what his hair looked like after he had dropped Laura off at her apartment early this morning and a smile crept across his face as he managed to get his hair back in order before roll call.

After roll call Mike was on the engine doing maintenance on the mounting brackets for the water cannon when Marco and Chet came in from hanging hose in the back carrying on a conversation as they walked.

"So if he didn't spend his day with her yesterday but he wasn't home do you think things are still going on between Mike and Laura?" Chat asked for Marco's speculation.

"I think it's too soon to tell, I'm sure Laura has a lot of things to do to get settled in before she has to start working."

"I don't know, I don't think he's her type," Chet continued his wishful speculation.

Mike just ducked down to stay out of sight and smiled as the two linemen walked by him on their way to the common room.

"I don't know Chet after the comments you and Johnny made the other day I don't think either of you have a chance so you might as well just forget it." Marco tried to bring an end to the conversation.

After all the house cleaning chores were completed Cap gathered the crew to go over fire plans for three new factories in the response area. He had just drawn the building layout on the calk board when the phone rang.

Since Mike was sitting closest to the phone he was the one to get up and answer it. "Las Angeles Fire station 51 Mike Stoker speaking," "Okay slow down, take a deep breath and say that again." Everyone in the room turned with anxious attention on Mike as they waited for him to find out and then inform them of what the crisis was. "Okay you're where again?" "And you need to get where?" "Hold on just a minute and let me look at the map and I'll be right back. Just take it easy and relax and I'll be right back."

Mike held up a finger indicating he needed a minute then stepped into the equipment bay for a moment and then returned to pick up the phone. "Okay you're just two blocks away, you need to go east on Wilkerson for two lights and then turn left and it's half way down the block on the right." "Which way is east?" "Okay look out over the sky line in one direction the road starts going slightly down hill and you should be able to see the pier beyond it. You can see that, good that's the ocean it's west, east is in the opposite direction." "Yes I'm sure." "Just make sure you're completely calmed down before you try to drive again." "Alright," "Sure call anytime anyone here can help you." "Alright just drive carefully. Bye now."

After hanging up the phone Mike rest his head on the wall near the phone and shook it. When he straightened up again everyone in the room could tell he was laughing slightly. "If she makes it through the day with out being in a car accident it will be a miracle."

Mike then returned to his training session only to get a glare from his captain. "Would you care to let us know what that was all about?"

"Oh, that was just Laura, a, Elmer, she's trying to run some errands and a, she was lost." Mike explained and everyone finally sighed in relief with Captain Stanley sharing Mike's chuckle. "I suspect she may end up calling a couple more times for directions before she get's back home tonight."

The rest of the morning was filled with a call to a junior high school to investigate a smoke alarm only to find two kids smoking in a janitor's closet. The squad had several medical calls and the engine was able to test several hydrants before returning to the station for a late lunch. Lunch was nearly completed when the tones sounded calling the station to a Motor Vehicle accident when they arrived at the scene four of the six firemen from Station 51 recognized the turquoise Mustang convertible parked in the middle of the road.

Police officer Vince Howard ran to the squad sending them to one of the two cars involved in a low speed head on collision while Mike quickly ran around the convertible. The keys were not in the ignition and the park break was on and surprisingly there was no body damage.

Joining his Captain he heard the report from Officer Howard. "According to the driver of the pick up the driver of this convertible here was parked in right where it is now so he passed on the left and got hit head on by the sedan while it was making a right hand turn. The driver on the pick up is so high on marijuana and who know what else that he's not feeling any pain and the driver of the sedan hit his head but his pregnant wife was in the back in labor and there seems to be some major problems with the delivery. We have an ambulance in rout the ETA is any minute but I have no idea where the driver of the convertible is.

"She's the one in the sedan helping with the pregnant woman in the back," Mike informed the officer.

"So that's where she went," Officer Howard let out an exasperated sigh and started for the sedan with Mike and Captain Stanley two steps behind. "Ma'am is that your blue convertible over there?"

"Yes sir," Laura answered with out looking up, "We better get an IV D5W going and oxygen 10 letters by mask. Where's that ambulance."

"It should be here any minute," Vince answered noticing Laura's hand was up the women's dress.

"We better get a stretcher in here so we can have her ready to load as soon as it gets here. Do we have contact with the hospital yet?" Laura barked out orders like the major that she was and the urgency of the situation shown in her eyes.

"Ma'am do you know that your car hasn't been registered in 15 years?" Vince asked not knowing who he was talking to.

"A yeah it has, I just registered it an hour or so ago. The new plates are between the seats I don't have a screwdriver to put them on until I get home."

"May I see your driver's license and registration please?"

"Driver's license in my right front pocket, registration in the glove box," Laura answered, "Where's that connection with Rampart!"

"Can you take your driver's license out for me?"

"Here's your connection with Rampart it's Dr. Brackett." Johnny held the biophone out for Laura to take.

"NO I can't right now, hold it next to my ear." Laura continued to order.

"Rampart, this is Laura Elmer, we have a pregnant woman here with twins and in labor, the first twin is a double footling breech with a prolapsed cord, I am currently holding the baby in the womb and keeping pressure off the cord, I have a strong fetal pulse that diminished with each contraction, currently no vitals on the second twin. Have instructed the paramedics to start IV D5W and start O2 10 liters, suggest you have an OR and an OB ready on our arrival, Advise on meds to stop contractions."

"51 what's your ETA?"

"Well the ambulance just arrived but I have no idea, it's a good thing I'm not driving or we'd never make it."

"The ETA is 10 minutes," Roy informed Laura as he started to slide the cloth stretcher under their patient."

"ETA 10 minutes," Laura echoed in the biophone Captain Stanley was now holding to her ear.

"In that case negative on the meds just get her in here as fast as you can," Bracket instructed and Laura had to agree.

As a team of two firemen, two ambulance attendants, Laura, a police officer and Captain Stanley were moving toward the ambulance Laura turned to Captain Stanley, "Would you please get the keys out of my right front pocket and move my car out of the middle of the road, I'll have to deal with it later, Oh and get my wallet out for the officer there. He'll have to catch up with me at Rampart to give me a ticket."

While Hank hesitantly reached in her pocket pulling out her keys Mike reached in her other pocket to get her wallet then they both quickly got out of the way so the patient could be loaded and the ambulance could take off.

Authors note: I might be able to get the next chapter done a little faster if I knew someone was reading it.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

During the ride to the hospital Laura remained calm and encouraging in her conversations with her patient as she continued to keep her hand in the womb holding the trying to be born child away from placing pressure on and cutting off his or her life line. Rampart had confirmed that they were ready and they were to head straight for OR 4 when they arrived at the hospital. Laura spent the ride in calmly explaining to her patient what they were going to do and why and even though the patient was scared Laura was very reassuring explaining that she could feel a steady heart beat and felt certain that the babies were alright. Laura was even able to get a carotid pulse on the second twin while in rout.

Roy continued to monitor the vitals on the mother and follow Laura's orders, once the ambulance backed up to the doors he was out the side door of the ambulance and helping to move the patient out.

Laura placed her feet on the lower bracket of the gurney and gave the call to, "move her in."

Once inside the operating room the patient was moved to the operating table and the gurney and paramedic were moved out as a surgical nurse was applying a surgical bonnet and face mask to Laura. By the time this was done the Mother was under anesthesia and a sterile drape was thrown over Laura. With in three minutes there was an infant's first cry followed quickly by a second and Laura was then able to remove her hand from her patient and let out a sigh of relief.

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Mean while back at the accident sight Captain Hank Stanley was feeling more like the father of a bunch of squabbling teenagers.

"Cap we can't just leave her car here. It could get stripped or the whole thing could get ripped off," Chet argued.

"Yeah Cap this isn't really the best part of town," Marco agreed.

A quick look at Mike told the practiced Captain that his engineer was in silent agreement. As Johnny climbed into the second ambulance with the last two patients meaning someone was going to have to drive the squad to the hospital. This was a common occurrence and both Chet and Marco took turns doing that and then they would return to the station with the paramedics, sometimes getting to go along on a call before they got back, but there was only room for one extra person in the cab of the squad, not two.

Taking in a deep thinking breath Captain Stanley gave Officer Howard a look and made a decision. "Chet you take the squad in, Marco you drive Laura's mustang," (Captain Stanley had also overheard his linemen talking about something that Chet and Johnny said to Laura that was rather offensive,) you have my permission to use one of the screwdrivers off the engine to put her new license plates on before you do. Mike and I will follow you to the hospital with the rig."

The look of victory that Marco gave to Chet was priceless.

Mike took one license plate and Marco the other and the two of them had the car totally legal in no time. Mike then took the screwdriver from Marco and opened the car door for him to get in as Captain Stanley handed over the keys he had taken from Laura's pocket.

"Make sure you don't scratch anything," Hank advised as Marco gleefully adjusted the seat and mirrors to his height.

Now that he had a more complete story Vince had decided not to give Laura a ticket but he did need to get her statement. As the last tow truck headed off in the opposite direction the squad pulled out toward Rampart followed by a police car a blue convertible driven by a fireman and a big red fire truck, what a convoy.

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Once Laura was no longer needed she stripped off her gloves and stepped up to the scrub sinks. Once cleaned up she basked in the sound of crying babies as she stepped into the hall to figure out what to do next.

She managed to arrive in the emergency department just as Johnny was coming through the doors with her patient's husband and she knew what she needed to do first.

"I'm pleased to inform you that you are the proud father of two beautiful baby girls, and judging by the screams I heard from them I can tell you that they both have a great set of lungs and your wife is going to need your help walking the floor with them."

"Already!" the man with a head injury exclaimed.

"We had to move fast to save them, but they're doing just fine," Laura explained and calmed.

"And My wife? Is she alright too?"

"She's still in surgery, they need to sew her up yet, but she's doing just great. About the time they get you all patched up they'll be able to take you up and you can introduce your wife to her daughters." If the man was worried Laura's smile put him at ease and he motioned to the orderlies moving his gurney to move along. As Johnny walked beside him congratulating the new father while a police officer walked along side the second victim as he was rolled down the hall.

Roy stepped up to her with a cup of hot coffee, which Laura graciously took but didn't drink, and the two talked shop for a few minutes complimenting each other on their work and skills until Chet walked through the door looking for the paramedics. He was fallowed closely by Officer Howard and Laura took in and blew out a breath of air.

"Well now it's time for me to face the consequences of not knowing my way around this town." Laura excused herself and walked over to the police officer as Roy managed to keep his smirk to a mere smile.

By the time Mike and Captain Stanley made it through the door Officer Howard had informed Laura that under the circumstances he was not going to give her a ticket but that he still needed to get her statement and Laura was able to hand him the cup of coffee she had no intensions of drinking.

"I was stopped at the light," Laura began her side of the incident, "when I notice that the name of the street wasn't on this map that was drawn for me." Laura pulled a piece of paper out of her back pocket and handed it to the police officer as she continued, "I was trying to decide what to do and was a little slow moving when the light turned green so the guy behind me started honking his horn that frustrated me even more then he pulled around me on the left and hit that other car that was making a right hand turn head on."

"Ma'am," the police officer was looking over the map she had handed him, "The reason that street wasn't on your map is that you were going the wrong way."

"You mean I wasn't driving north."

"You were driving north but these streets are to the south of where you were."

"Isn't this an N for north," Laura pointed to a spot on her hand drawn map.

"Actually I think it's where someone scribbled on the paper to get their pen working." The Officer looked closely.

Laura slapped her hand over her eyes and then spread her fingers so she could open one eye, "So I was holding the map upside down?" Laura took in and blew out a breath as the Officer nod his head in the affirmative she then shook her head as she slid her hand down her face, "I'm hopeless."

"How long have you been in town?" the police officer kindly asked.

"A, lets see," Laura started counting on her fingers, "Five days now. But today is the first day I've been driving on my own."

"How did you get your black eye?" the Officer questioned.

"Oh that," Laura placed her hand under her colorful eye, "The, a, plane I arrived in hit the ground a little abruptly."

"You aren't by any chance the pilot that made that crash landing on the street in front of the fire station five days ago are you?"

"Well not let's get a few facts straight here." Laura began with a hesitant posture and embarrassed look. "First of all it was an emergency landing not a crash landing, there is a difference. Second of all I wasn't the pilot I was the passenger that just happened to know enough about flying to pull the plane out of a nose dive after some kids toy rocket broke through the cockpit window and hit the pilot in the head knocking him unconscious. And these excellent firemen were so gracious to clear the street for me at that moment so I could put it down I just had to take them up on it. The only problem was they didn't quite clear a long enough run way."

"I'm afraid we would have needed a little more heads up to be able to clear more of a run way." Captain Stanley piped in with a smile.

"As I remember things it was good we had our heads down," Marco spoke up having just entered the emergency department. He was still wearing the most incredible yet taunting smile on his face.

"Well we're all here now we best be getting back to work." Captain Stanley announced with a clap of his hands.

"Here's your keys," Marco handed them over, "I parked it in the shade and put the top up so the wind wouldn't blow the leaves inside and Mike and me put your license plates on for you." Marco listed before adding, "Oh and she drives as sweet as she looks," He gloated.

"Oh thank you," Laura praised and stepped forward planting a kiss on his cheek leaving a lipstick mark behind.

"Here's your wallet," Mike handed it over, "Do you need me to draw you a map to get home from here?"

"No," Laura was confident, "I know my way back to the apartment from here. "Right out of the north exit of the parking lot, Left just past the mall and then straight until I come to the apartment building on the right." Laura listed thinking each move as she spoke and watching the looks on the faces to make sure she was getting it right.

"You may want him to draw you a map." The police officer entered the conversation again. "The street past the Mall is closed while they repair a water main brake, It's not expected to open again for another six hours."

"Here's some paper," Dixie chuckled as she pulled a paper pad from her pocket, she and doctors Brackett and Early had been standing on the fringe of the group listening to and enjoying the banter that was going back and forth.

"I got a better idea," Laura declared and turned to Dr. Brackett, "Could you possible use some help around here until my path home is cleared for passage?"

Brackett couldn't keep a straight face any longer and started laughing as he shook his head. "Well Dr. Early do you think we can use this lady's assistance?"

"Sure that just means more breaks for me," Dr. Early grinned.

"Me too," Brackett chimed in.

"Great, I'll go get my lab coat out of my car," Laura smiled and followed the firemen through the emergency doors on the way to her car.

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Back at the fire station the men climbed off of their equipment and readied their turn out gear for the next call before heading to the common room.

"Lopez, you need to go wash your face," Captain Stanley instructed.

"AW Cap, do I got a," Marco protested.

"Yes you got a," Cap countered, "I can't have you rolling on a call with that lipstick on your face. Everyone will wonder what we're doing around here between fires."

"All right," Marco reluctantly headed for the bathroom while Chet moved to the kitchen. It was his turn to cook dinner and he had a big surprise for the guys.

By the time Marco joined his crew with a clean face everyone but Chet was sitting around the table drinking various liquids and watching Chet put ingredients into large plastic bags before folding the top over and wrapping a rubber band around it tight.

As his crew mates exchanged dreadful glances Chet carried the bags to the table before announcing. "Okay dinner should be ready in about five minutes but I'm going to need all of ya's help."

"What are you up to now Kelly?" Captain Stanley took a stand and was prepared to order pizza.

"It's one of the recipes that are in the manuscript that Laura gave me last shift," Chet offered as an explanation. "You're all gonna love it."

That explanation brought with it a measure of willingness but they were all still skeptical as they eyed the bags on the table.

"Alright Kelly what do you need us to do?" Cap again took the lead, He and Chet had had a rather serious discussion over the phone while they were off shift about other parts of the manuscript and Hank knew his lineman was taking his roll as the teams court Jester very seriously.

"First let's all stand up around the tables," Chet instructed and Hank used his authority to compel the team's compliance. "Okay now hold hands and get yourselves evenly spaced around the table." Chet continued after they were all on their feet.

"What are we going to do hold a séance over it?" Johnny asked as he reluctantly complied on his captain's unspoken orders.

"You can if you want," Chet countered finding it interesting that the same conversation was written in the manuscript.

"Okay now, we need to keep these bags moving for five minutes." Chet explained as he started picking up bags and throwing them to his team mates, "come on keep them moving toss them to some one else, they need to keep moving," Chet coached.

The liquids that were triple bagged was the hardest to keep a hold of and managed to get dropped several times. Marco was the first one to get hit in the face with one of the bags but not the last as the bags flew around the room at a growing rate of speed. When the timer in the middle of the table signaled the five minutes was over it took another couple of minutes to bring the bags to a resting position on the table and although they would never openly admit it the guys had had fun.

One bag was then dumped onto a cookie sheet and placed in a preheated oven, the one with liquids had the corner cut and it's contents was poured into a picture of ice, while the remaining bags were dumped into serving dishes and place on the table. "Dinner is now served and I think you will be pleased to know it contains everything needed for a balanced meal and we all had five minutes of aerobic exercise making it." Kelly announced, "And by the time you're finished with the main course desert with be ready."

As they ate they realized that dinner consisted of three different salads and they were all tasty. And desert turned out to be bar cookies which were quickly inhaled. All in all it was a meal they would willingly participate in making and eating again. Clean up felt easier too because there were no pots and pans and the plastic bags were just thrown away.

The night was a busy one for the station and when the next shift arrived they were more than ready to head for home but the memories of Chet's dinner still brought a smile to their faces and they changed out of their uniforms in the locker room.

"Hey Chet," Johnny got his attention, "Do you think I could get that recipe you used for dinner last night, it would be great to do that at a party sometime."

"Sure I'll copy it off and give it to you next shift." Chet agreed feeling somewhat full filled.

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When Mike pulled into his parking stall he climbed out of his truck and yawned. Just then he noticed Laura driving past him and pulling into her stall and remembered the map Cap had given him for her. Pulling it out of his truck he hurried over to give it to her as she was pulling a large box and two bags of clothes out of her trunk.

"You're going early this morning." Mike called as he drew close taking the box from her hands.

"Actually I'm just finally getting home from the hospital," Laura grimaced.

"You worked there all night?" Mike was surprised but he remembered they had had a long night and knew the paramedics took in several victims of the two fires they worked on.

"Not all night," Laura answered, "After about three this morning Dr. Bracket and I talked about what was going to be expected of me on my new job and some of the things I still feel I need some training in and then they made me get some sleep in the doctor's lounge before they let me drive home."

"Well good for them," Mike approved but it was clear by the tired look on Laura's face that she didn't get enough sleep.

Mike carried her box to her door and she opened it and laid her bags on a chair just inside before turning back and taking the box from Mike. "I still need some sleep, she excused herself."

"I can tell," Mike agreed as he reluctantly let go of the rather heavy box full of wall plaques, books and similar items.

"Oh," Laura added an after thought as she was closing the door on Mike. "I'll be going to work with you next shift. Dr. Brackett arranged for me to ride along with Gage and DeSoto for a week to get more familiar with the paramedic program here."

Author's note: I can't promise to get all the chapters out this fast but it does help to know someone is reading it and wants more.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Mike fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and when he awoke around two p.m. he lay there a moment waking up and all he could think of was Laura. He wanted to call her, her phone should be working now, but then it was just a short walk to go down and knock on her door. She had looked really tired this morning maybe she was still asleep.

As Mike was arguing with him self he rolled over in bed and noticed his laundry basket was over flowing and he knew what he needed to do before he worried about getting together with Laura. His uniforms were at the dry cleaners but he didn't have a clean pair of underwear left in his drawer.

Hauling his laundry down to the laundry room Mike set up at two available washing machines and started sorting the lights from the darks. He was just pulling change from his pocket to feed the machines when he noticed Laura coming in carrying a laundry basket in which were two pillow cases, one white the other military green, both were stuffed full. Laura still looked tired and a little depressed which worried Mike instantly. She hadn't noticed him and just walked up to two washing machines and dumped the contents of a pillow case in each before adding the pillow cases and then adding coins to the slots.

"Do you need to borrow some laundry detergent?" Mike asked and Laura nearly bounced off the ceiling.

"I didn't mean to startle you I just noticed that you didn't add laundry detergent." Mike spoke as the water was filling in the machine.

"I add the soap to the clothes while their in the bag," Laura explained, "That way I don't have to carry so much stuff down here."

"That's a good idea," Mike replied as he looked Laura over. "You don't look like you slept very well."

Laura looked away from Mike and remained silent, after a couple of sighs she closed the washing machine lid and Mike started wracking his brain for what he could remember from one of Laura's books about how to get some one to talk.

First he bought a couple of sodas from the vending machine and rather determinedly guided Laura to a small play ground park area outside the laundry room. The two of them sat on a shaded park bench and Mike opened the sodas and handed one to Laura.

Laura turned the cold soda can in her hands and quietly studied a patch of concrete just in front of her feet.

"It must have been a real bad night at the hospital last night." Mike commented between sips of soda in an attempt to get Laura to open up, "I have two working ears."

"No, it wasn't the hospital," Laura finally spoke. "I'd probably be in a lot bigger funk if I hadn't worked in ER last night."

Laura lifted the soda to her mouth and took her first sip before looking at Mike then turning away again to hide her emotions. "The stop I made before the accident yesterday was to the main office for International Medical." Laura sighed, swallowed hard and looked back at Mike, "Let's just say the visit was less than pleasant. After I got home this morning all I've been able to do is replay what was said there over and over in my head, then I made the mistake of trying to go through the box of stuff they took down from their walls and threw at me yesterday. I have no idea what I should do with all the stuff."

Laura looked away again and held her soda can between her knees. "I'm really glad I don't work for them any more. It was hard enough before but since the son took over management after his father's heart attack it just keeps getting worse. It's just hard knowing that my leaving is making it harder on my friends that are still working in the field."

"Maybe the boss will get the message and straighten up now that you're gone," Mike suggested.

"Judging by what he said to me yesterday I doubt it." Laura then looked at Mike again and found a smile. "Thanks, I guess I really needed to get that off my chest. I wanted to just pretend it didn't happen but I haven't been able to."

"He was probably just trying to make you feel guilty," Mike suggested and Laura looked and him.

"Even if he was it's still hard to take," Laura admitted. "It scares me that I'm not able to sleep. If I can't figure out a way to fix that it could be my undoing."

Mike sat and listened but Laura didn't say much more. When the laundry was done Mike managed to hide his underwear under a bath towel while Laura hung most of her clothes on hangers and then he walked her back to her apartment. Setting his laundry basket on the floor by the door Mike waited for Laura to take her clothes into her bedroom and then return. She warmed a can of soup and shared it with the off duty fireman and they moved to the living room where the box that was tormenting Laura remained on the coffee table in plain view.

"I guess I should start by pulling out all the diplomas and licenses. They need to have copies of those on file at Rampart." Laura sighed and started flipping through the frames set on end in the box. Mike tried to help but pulled out three Honorary Doctorate Degrees by mistake. He then placed the rest of her framed awards and pictures of her in action and her pictures with famous people on a shelf in top of her linen closet. He then guided Laura to the sofa and sat down next to her.

"Now what can I do to help you finish unwind?" Mike asked as he started rubbing her back.

"Do you know where I can find a cliff to climb?"

"Not off the top of my head," Mike answered as he kept rubbing her back, "I think you're too tired to climb safely right now anyway." "You don't have a stereo maybe if you played your violin for a while," Mike suggested.

"I haven't been able to play since before Indonesia," Laura commented with her eyes fixed on the violin case leaning in the corner of the room.

"What happened in Indonesia?" Mike questioned.

"I don't really know," Laura's eye lids were looking heavier. "I used to carry this small fife with me when I traveled and when I'd get a chance to sleep I would play a few tunes to help me unwind. I used to be able to listen to the folk songs and other music the people in the area would sing and play and then I could play it by ear and I at least thought it helped me rest better. The fife was destroyed during an after shock there and then I went straight from there to China, When I got home it was like I had brain damage or something, Every time I picked up a musical instrument or sat at a piano since then I can't remember how to play or even hear the music in my head any more."

"Is that why you told me to set the buttons on my truck radio that day we were driving around getting information about my Dad?" Mike questioned thoughtfully.

"I knew you were quite the musician, you're Dad told me about all your piano recitals and how you would sit at the piano and play for hours when ever you were upset and how you'd come home for a visit just to play and unwind since you didn't have a piano in your apartment. Seeing that your radio wasn't programmed told me a lot about your mental state at the time."

Mike thought back on that time in his life and how he was able to set the buttons on his radio the next morning, and how his life soon came back into focus. It took more than just the music to give him that focus but it did help. He kept rubbing Laura's back and was soon able to help her to lie down on the sofa and soon she let her eyes close. Mike got up to go get a pillow and a blanket off her bed but stopped at her bedroom door. She had shown him that she wasn't comfortable with men in her bedroom so instead he turned to the linen closet and found a blanket there. He returned to the living room and covered Laura but just after he slipped a throw pillow under her head she rolled over on her stomach and the pillow was pushed aside.

As he turned to leave his mind filled with the time he had spent with her when they first met and her nightmares and not to mention the time he couldn't wake her up. So instead of leaving he pulled the cushion off one of the chairs and used it as a pillow as he lay on the floor next to the sofa and gently held the hand that hung to the floor until he fell asleep.

Mike was awaken the next morning by the sound of someone working in the kitchen and after sitting up it took him a minute to remember where he was and why. He was covered with the same blanket he and thrown across Laura last night and in spite of sleeping on the floor felt quite rested.

"Good Morning," Mike announced himself as he stood in the entry to the kitchen. "You're up early."

"I'm an early riser," Laura answered then stopped to look at Mike with appreciation, "Thanks for helping me unwind and get to sleep last night. You know you didn't need to stay here. What are all the neighbors going to think?"

"It was my pleasure and when I got ready to leave all I could think of was the time I couldn't wake you up so I don't think I could have slept if I hadn't of stayed. As far as the neighbors go, they probably didn't even notice," Mike answered with a smile.

Laura motioned him toward the breakfast bar and placed a plate with an omelet on it in front of him before turning to pour two glasses of orange juice. After setting those on the breakfast bar she picked up another plate and joined Mike.

"What have you got planned for today?" Mike asked hoping he could spend it with her.

"I'm scheduled to take a couple of recertification exam's today I need to be at Rampart in an hour." Laura answered killing Mike's hopes. "With the exams and the paperwork I still need to fill out I should be there all day. What time am I supposed to report to the fire station tomorrow morning?"

"Roll call is at eight," Mike answered remembering that she was going to be working with him or rather John and Roy for a week. His emotions were well mixed on that subject but he chose to keep them to himself.

"I better plan to be there early then so that I can make sure I know where everything is."

"You can ride in with me," Mike offered.

"I think I better drive," Laura thought on his offer, "I'm not sure if I'm going to be spending the nights or not yet."

When Laura finished the dishes and went to get dressed Mike excused himself and went to go home. Seeing his laundry basket on the floor near the door reminded him to pick it up but what he saw brought some color to his face. Laura had folded all of his clothes for him including his underwear.

With a whole day to himself Mike spend some time studying Laura's chapter on the positive and negative effects of teddy bears with the focus on what he needed to do to be a positive teddy bear for Laura, around dinner time when Laura had not yet returned he decided to give Carlos a call and see what he could offer as far as information on the kind of music Laura liked.

It was around nine o'clock in the evening when Mike saw the headlights drive up and pull into Laura's parking stall. She looked tired when she got out of the car but relaxed, he fought the urge to greet her at her door knowing he would see her in the morning.

When Mike walked into the station the next morning he could hear Laura's voice in the equipment bay so he quickly changed into his uniform and followed her voice.

"This is a different breathing system than I used and it's been awhile," Laura was telling Captain Stanley as they stood at the open Squad compartment that housed the paramedics turn out gear and SCBAs, "I'm going to need a quick refresher first thing this morning."

"I'm not planning for you to be needing any of this stuff." Captain Stanley explained his understanding of Laura's roll at the station. "You're just here to ride with the paramedics"

"I'm not here to be a hood ornament," Laura spoke sternly to her temporary Captain and it was clear it was going to be difficult for her to treat him as her superior.

"Of Course not you're going to be working with the Paramedics," Stanley countered.

"Then I need the same gear so that I can." Laura stood her ground. "I am a trained rescue person with a lot of valuable experience I have no intentions of standing on the sidelines twirling my stethascope."

Captain Stanley stood silently for a moment with his hands on his hips before turning to Mike. "Mike would you find her a helmet and turn out coat while I go call head quarters and find out just how much I'm supposed to allow her to do."

"Yes sir."

"And when John and Roy get here could you have them come to my office."

"Yes, Sir."


	14. Chapter 14

From the author to the readers:

To many of the comments I've received in the reviews I ask this question: How do you define Romance?

Author's note: this is a cliff hanger either live with it or wait till the next chapter comes out to read it.

Chapter 14

The station was prepared for ride-alongs who often came along to observe the Paramedic program so there were plenty of extra helmets but extra turn out coats were few and far between. There were two in the closet but each of them was size large. Laura wasn't.

"Is this so I can protect the squad too?" Laura joked as she tried it on the last of the turn out coats.

Laura was wearing a one piece jump suit very similar to the one she had warn when she took Mike flying the only exception was that there was no CAP insignia or patches and on the side of her leg was a series of custom pockets filled with bandage scissors, hemostats, pen light and other tools that the regular paramedics wore on their belts. In a larger pocket behind the tools was housed a coiled stethoscope.

Captain Stanley walked up to his guest teammate a paramedic on either side and two steps back. "I've had a talk with headquarters and Dr. Brackett," Captain Stanley started with a very authoritative sounding voice, "we've decided that in the case of a fire your job will be to run the triage/treatment station and let us bring the patients to you. You're here to learn how to work with the paramedic program not to run it."

Standing behind Laura, Mike let out a sigh of relief that was not missed by his captain and two shift mates.

"I guess you have a point there," Laura admitted but she was clearly unhappy with the decision that was made, "I was telling Dr. Bracket that it was going to be hard for me to work the call station because I wasn't sure what the guys had with them and how to trust their information, that's why I'm here, be fore warned though, I am used to being in charge and in the middle of it all in the thick of things so this is going to be a learning experience. One I can't guarantee to get right the first few times."

"You better or you won't be allowed to ride along, when I'm in the thick of things I have way to much to worry about to be distracted by an insubordinate guest." Captain Stanley made himself very clear, in words as well as with the tone of his voice. "Roy you start showing our guest the squad and medical supplies, Gage, you and Kelly in the office."

Before Roy moved toward the Squad he watched his partner and the station clown make their way to the office. Both were slumped shouldered clearly wondering what trouble they were in now.

In the office the men were really worried when the captain shut the door.

"What is it Cap?" Johnny asked following his words with a hard swallow.

"I've heard all the rumors that you two made fools of yourselves the day you helped Laura move."

"Cap we didn't mean it the way it came out," Chet started to explain but the Captain held up his hand gaining silence among his men.

"I don't need to know what happened, you're just here so I can tell you that I have spoken with Miss Elmer and she has declared that she has no reservations in working with you two she just has no desire to date either of you. Now I am putting you both on your very best behavior for the duration of Miss Elmer's visit with us and strongly recommend that you two find some way to apologize. Do I make my self clear?"

"Yes Cap," Johnny responded before blowing out a deep breath,

"Okay Cap," Chet followed but with out the breathing exercises.

"Okay then dismissed," Hank more calmly released his men, "And don't forget, best behavior."

Once they left the office Chet steered clear of their guest but Johnny had work to do on the squad. Rounding the corner as Laura and Roy were counting the narcotics Johnny listened for a moment before making his presents known.

"So is this all you carry?" Laura was asking Roy with a troubled look on her face.

"We keep our inventory low to keep from becoming a target of junkies and drug dealers in the area." Roy explained.

"So how many patients do you have on the average run?"

"Most often we only have one," Roy answered as amazed with Laura's questions as she was with the equipment. "If we have more than three or even if we have three serious patients they'll send out an additional squad. All of our firemen are EMT trained and can handle the more minor injuries as well as all the extrication equipment while we're caring for the more severe patients."

"Well those are better ratios than I'm used to, how long does it take you to get fresh supplies?"

"We pick them up at the hospital at the end of the run," Roy answered.

"I guess that's not too bad," Laura responded with the look of intense study on her face. "This is definitely a different world than I'm used to." Laura sighed and started going through the drug box again.

Johnny finally walked from behind the squad and placed his hands on his hips. "How's everything going out here?"

"Well according to the list you have everything your supposed to have," Laura answered, "I just have a few more questions, at least for the moment."

"What's that?" Roy managed to beat Johnny to the punch.

"When we pull up to a rescue scene what do you want me to carry? And what roll do you want me to fill? I'll be honest with you I'll have trouble just sitting back and watching."

"We'll let you be responsible for this and this," Roy pointed out two pieces of equipment that were commonly needed and weren't too heavy, "And we've never worked with a Medex on board before so we're going to have to work the second part of your question out as we go."

Laura made a puckered face and looked at the two paramedics one at a time then closed on eye. "I guess that's fair, just don't forget I'm coming along and leave me behind now." Laura pointed her finger at the paramedics.

"We won't," Johnny assured with his famous crooked smile.

They were just putting the turn out coat assigned to Laura in the compartment when the first call of the day came in. A car crashed into a house with fire.

Laura quickly slid in the bench seat of the squad making room for John Gage and Roy DeSoto to sit on either side of her and pulled her helmet from the dash board and onto her head tightening the strap under her chin. When the slip of paper was handed past her containing the address Laura let out a deep sigh. "I'm glad I'm not driving."

Roy and John shared a snicker before Roy flipped on the sirens and pulled out through the opened bay door with the fire engine pulling out behind them.

Laura marveled at how involved Johnny was in seeing to it that they arrived at the rescue scene in one piece. Every time they came to an intersection Johnny first told Roy to either go straight or which way to turn and then watched the cross traffic on his side to make sure all the other traffic had stopped for them. Not wanting to distract them Laura just sat quietly and watched.

When they slowed down once the smoke came into sight Laura took in the sight of the car broken through the side of the house with smoke coming out of the upstairs windows above the car and started forming an action plan before remembering he job was going to be triage and treatment after the men at either side of her and the men on the truck behind her brought the patients to her.

When the squad was stopped Roy and John got out and pulled their turn out coats on and Laura's was handed to her. John and Roy then pulled on their air tanks and turned to Laura. "You pull the equipment out and set up a triage station," before running off to see what their captain would direct them.

Captain Stanley barked out orders sending his men in different directions before pulling out his hand held radio and instructing the other fire engines not yet arrived which direction to come in and what side of the house to start working on. Then before running closer to the smoking building Captain Stanley looked at Mike, "You keep an eye on her and don't let her leave this area."

Laura did as she was told quickly and then watched. With her eyes fixed on the action Laura distractedly pulled her stethoscope out of her pocket and placed the ear pieces around her neck before placing the bell in a small pocket near her belt. As she stepped around the back of the squad to get a better view Laura felt a hand tightening around her upper arm.

"I'm behaving," Laura gave Mike a quick glance then turned her attention back to the firemen climbing a latter to spray water through a window, "Your people seem to have everything under control right now, I can handle standing back this time."

Mike never loosened his grip on her arm and Laura made no effort to pull away from him until one of the firemen was seen coming around the corner of the house with a man dangling over his shoulders followed by another fireman carrying two children in his arms. Laura then pulled away and moved back in to the area defined by a yellow blanket spread on the ground and started pulling compartment doors open.

"What are you looking for?" Mike asked,

"We're going to need more oxygen," Laura answered.

"I'll get it," Mike called just as the first patient rounded the squad, Before the children were set down on the blanket coughing and gasping for air Mike had returned with the oxygen off the engine and placed the mask on one of the children while Laura started working on the man who was clearly the worst off of the three. Mike traded the o2 mask back and forth between the two children and they rapidly responded with less coughing and a little crying in fear. Laura gathered vital signs faster than Mike had ever seen John or Roy do it and then began listening to each patients breathing with her stethoscope before starting an IV on the first patient by which time Laura was presented with two more patients. These patients were being carried by John and Roy and they stayed to help. Before they shrugged out of their air tanks Laura had the vitals and John was suspicious that her method wasn't giving accurate information so he carefully and quietly took them again.

When he compared what he got to the vitals recorded he found that his reading were with in just a couple points in differences so he said nothing.

"Is that everybody out of the house?" Laura asked then instructed Roy to, "Start an IV D5W on that patient."

"Yeah," Johnny answered wiping the smoke and soot out of his eyes.

"What about the driver?" Laura asked as she worked and John gave her a subtle shake of his head, the universal sign for a fatality.

"What's our ETA to the hospital from here?" Laura asked as she looked up to see the first of two ambulances coming around the corner about a block away.

"About 15 minutes," Roy answered

"Now who gets to let them know we're coming and who's going to ride in which ambulance?" "I sure hope your not planning on making me drive."

Captain Stanley came by to check on the status of the patients about then and it was decided that Laura would ride in with the mother and the two little girls while Roy would ride in with the father and the teen age son John would drive the squad in behind them.

John was asked to check on one of the firemen who had something in his eye and was delayed in following the ambulances, unbeknownst to anyone including the people in the back of the ambulance Laura's ambulance driver thought the best path to the hospital was different than Roy's ambulance driver and Johnny chose yet another short cut, a little bumpy for carrying a patient over but it was just fine for him.

About five minutes into Laura's ten minute ride she was startled when the driver shouted, "Look out!"

Before Laura could ask what she was looking out for she felt a crash and a jolt and before the ambulance stopped moving it was balanced on two wheels and held up against a tree by a rather large truck with a load of hay on the back.

Since Roy had taken the biophone with him incase he needed to get treatment instructions from the hospital Laura was given one of the hand held radios. When she finally figured out which way was up she quickly checked her patients to find they were doing better than the ambulance attendant in back with her and she couldn't get any response from the guy behind the wheel.

Finding the hand held radio where it slid under the gurney Laura pulled the antenna to its full length and holding the button down put it up to her mouth. "LA dispatch do you read?" she paused looking around again finding some bandaging material in a cupboard and applying it to the head wound on her ambulance attendant and asking one of the young girls to hold it for her before going back to the radio. "LA Fire dispatch can you hear me?"

"Unit calling LA Fire Dispatch please identify."

"This is a ride along with paramedic squad 51 I've been in an auto accident with the ambulance and I'm in need of a little assistance."

"Squad 51 what is your location?"

"You're asking the wrong person that question, I haven't the slightest idea."

"We need to know your location before we can send any help to you.

"Well I'm not going to be any help in that area. I can't see a thing out these tiny windows that resembles a street sign the driver is out cold, the back doors are jammed shut, the side door will open only a few inches and all I can see through it, OH Crap! The hay on the truck that hit us is on fire," Laura screamed into the radio, "just tell the guys to find a path from the fire we were at to Rampart hospital and look for the smoke signals. I've got to go now and find a way to get me and everyone else out of here."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Johnny's little short cut did what he wanted it to do, he was stopped at an intersection when the Ambulance his partner was in sirened past him. He paused for a moment and looked in the direction the ambulance had come from but when he couldn't see the second ambulance he pulled out and followed the first one on to Rampart. He was just turning into the parking lot when he heard Laura's radio transmission and instead of backing the squad into the emergency entrance he drove in.

"Roy!" John called as soon as he saw his partner step out of the back of the ambulance. "Laura's been in a TA! The truck that hit them is on fire, their trapped inside the ambulance, the driver is out and she has no idea where they're at!"

Dixie was at the emergency room entrance to direct the patients to the proper treatment room when Johnny made his announcement. "We can take it from here you better go help her."

Just then Dr. Bracket came running full speed to the emergency entrance. "I just herd over the scanner that Laura's ambulance has been hit by a burning truck, she's trapped inside and doesn't know where she is."

Johnny was already in the passenger side of the squad with the radio mic in hand. "This is squad 51 responding from Rampart to the ambulance TA, we will back track from here."

"10-4 51"

00000

Mike had just shut the pumps down while the captains confirmed the status of the fire when some chatter on the radio drew his attention.

"--a street sign, the driver is out cold, the back doors are jammed shut, the side door will open only a few inches and all I can see through it is, OH Crap! The hay on the truck that hit us is on fire," Laura screamed into the radio, "just tell the guys to find a path from the fire we were at to Rampart hospital and look for the smoke signals. I've got to go now and find a way to get me and everyone else out of here."

Mike set off running in the direction he had last seen his captain screaming, "Cap we have a problem!"

00000

In the back of the ambulance Laura pulled her barrowed turn out coat around her shoulders and pushing her back against a cabinet she slammed her feet in to the side door with full force. The ambulance was tilted onto the right side kept from going all the way over by a tree it was leaning against, held in that position by the truck that hit them. The box compartment had twisted on impact jamming the back doors closed and the proximity to the tree and the ground kept the side door from opening more than a few inches. From the top of the partially open door Laura could see smoke rising and where there was smoke there was most likely fire and where there were wrecked vehicles there was likely ruptured gas tanks. Not a good combination.

It took several kicks at the door but Laura was able to buckle the door making the opening large enough for her to get out and if she could get out so could the young girls and probably their mother. The ambulance attendant was going to be a little more difficult as was the driver and she had no idea yet what she would find in the other truck.

Laura took the time to discontinue the patient's IV and then help her up from the gurney she then coaxed the frightened girls to climb through the opening she had created and then stuck her head out to instruct them to help their mother over to a baseball back drop a safe distance away and then help her lay down.

The radio sitting on the bench crackled and she heard John Gage's voice, "This is squad 51 responding from Rampart to the ambulance TA, we will back track from here."

As she helped the woman out of the opening she picked up the hand held radio again. "51 ride along to fire dispatch do you read."

"GO ahead 51."

"There's a base ball diamond here some kind of a kids field that might help you find us be advised we do have a gas leak and could use any help we can get."

"10-4 51" that's when she heard the familiar voice of Hank Stanley, "Engine 51 responding to ambulance TA from scene we'll track her from here."

"Okay," Laura said softly but so her patient could hear, "The cavalry is on the way."

When she had helped her patient out she stopped the bigger of the two girls just long enough to give her the radio. "I want you to take this with you and listen for sirens, when you hear them I want you to push this button and tell them you can hear them and then let it go and listen to what ever question they ask you, then push the button again and answer them the best you can."

"But I don't know the special code you speak in these things." The frightened little girl responded.

"That's okay they need a refresher course on normal people talk anyway," Laura assured and the little girl carried the radio and hurried to catch up with her mother and sister.

When she was sure the three patients were going to make it to their destination Laura turned back to the inside of the ambulance. She pulled the fire extinguisher from the wall and set it out side then pulled bandaging supplies from a cupboard before pulling the clear plastic door from the cupboard and bandaging it to the back of the ambulance attendants head to help support his neck. She then filled the large pouch like pockets near the bottom of her pants with all the first aid supplies she could cram in them an eased her next patient through the opening doing her best to keep his head and neck stable. He started to groan as she was moving him but she just kept telling him he was going to be alright.

Once she had him out she placed her arms under his arms and around his chest and drug him a short distance away before laying him down on the road then returning to the fire extinguisher she had set outside the ambulance earlier. Carrying this she ran around to the other truck to see the driver with a slight cut on his arm slapping at the flames in his cargo with his coat.

"Here give this a try," Laura handed him the extinguisher but she was sure it wouldn't be enough to get the fire out, but hopefully enough to buy her the time to get the rest of the people out before the gas tanks blew. "Is there anyone else in your truck?"

"No," the man spoke as he tried to figure out how to use the extinguisher Laura had handed him. "I saw the smoke and tried to see if there was a fire, I didn't see the ambulance."

Laura showed him how to use the extinguisher, "I need to get the driver out. Can you keep this going?"

"Yeah,"

"When this is empty just get away from here," Laura instructed then moved back to her patient in the road. He was conscious now and trying to get up, "Just lay still and let me move you, things are a little hairy right now."

She quickly drug him over next to the girls and their mother and instructed them to take care of each other before she turned to the girl with the radio. "Use the radio and tell them we need two fire engines and three paramedic units." Then with out waiting for the girl to do as she was told Laura ran back to get the ambulance driver.

00000

John and Roy were back tracking the most commonly used ambulance routs with their stomachs tied up in knots it was all Roy could do not to drive recklessly and it was all John could do not to push him out of the squad and take over. Then the radio interrupted their thoughts.

"51 ride along to fire dispatch do you read."

"GO ahead 51."

"There's a base ball diamond here some kind of a kids field that might help you find us be advised we do have a gas leak and could use any help we can get."

"There's a baseball park on Sunnyside next left." Johnny directed.

00000

"My soccer team practices at a baseball park on Sunnyside," Marco added information from the back seat of the fire engine. They had turned all clean up over to the other engine companies and simply disconnected the hoses from the engine and left them laying in the dirt and they were off to help a teammate in danger.

Hank was watching his engineer closely, they were all worried about their guest teammate but he was certain that she and Mike shared a closeness the rest of them didn't.

Mike figured they were about two blocks away he could see the smoke rising above the trees, and they had radioed in an approximate address then the radio came alive, the radio channel that was cleared of all communication except between Laura and those working to get her the help she needed.

"Hello," it was a young girl's voice, "The Lady said to tell you to send two fire engines and three parachute units." And then there was the sound of an explosion and a blood curdling scream. "They're on fire! The people, they're burning up!" It was a second explosion that drown out the girls crying screams and Mike pressed the gas peddle to the floor and followed the fire balls raising in the sky.

00000

Laura was wanting a crow bar, but there was none to be found, she couldn't even find a lug wrench where she thought it should be, since she was on her own and the threat was high, to get the driver out she chose to go through the passenger side window. She had a tool in her pockets that made short work of shattering the window into small pea sized pieces allowing her passage. This was only the second time she'd used it, the first time was to rescue a Dog that had locked itself inside an abandoned truck that was so old no one knew if there was a key any longer.

As she climbed into the cab the driver began to stir and Laura was quick to notice that he could move both his legs and his arms. He was also able to move his head he was able to be moved. She moved into position and released his seatbelt then holding him close to her body and wrapping her oversized turn out coat around him eased him back through the window. When she heard the first explosion she moved faster stumbling under the weight of the driver and falling to the ground as the fire spread along the spilled gasoline catching the sleeve of her barrowed coat on fire.

"Stop, drop and roll," was a mantra Laura had not only committed to memory but taught to children in many different languages in many different countries. In several of those languages that was the only phrase she spoke. At that moment the language that was going through her head was French as she put every ounce of her focus on rolling away from the gasoline spill. She kept the face and upper body of her patient covered inside her coat and rolled up on her elbows to protect him for further injury. The second explosion was followed by the welcome sound of sirens coming from what seemed like every direction as Laura closed her eyes and tucked her face down into the over sized coat for protection.

It seemed like hours later but she was sure it had only been seconds that she felt a cold of force from two different directions and knew a couple of fire extinguishers were in use. She felt anxious hands pulling her coat open and lifting the ambulance driver from her chest then hands slipping between her coat and her body around her shoulders and under her knees. There was something familiar about those hands but she just bent her knees to make it easier for who ever it was and placed her arm around his broad strong shoulders. A second set of hands were slipped under her helping the first set and she was being moved away from the fire at a very fast pace.

A third explosion knocked them all to the ground and Laura instinctively threw her arms over her head, while they were down two more explosions went off one right after the other.

When debris finally stopped falling Laura opened her eyes and slowly uncovered her head to see Mike covering her with his body and Captain Stanley close on the other side of her. "That should be all four gas tanks and the oxygen tank on the ambulance, not much else left to blow. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting her out now, except that hay is going to be fun for you."

"Are you all right?" Captain Stanley asked as he helped Mike slip her turn out coat off, "Are you burned any where?

"A little on my arm but it doesn't look too bad," Laura answered looking herself over. "I think the coat took most of it. How's the driver?"

"John's working on him," Captain Stanley informed, "Roy's checking out the others and there's 98's now they take care of the rest you just rest here until they get you checked out."

Captain Stanley made it back to his feet and started barking out orders, Mike hovered looking worried until Laura slapped him on the shoulder in a playful manor. "I'll be fine you better go get those pumps going."

Laura felt grateful for the chance to catch her breath and come to grips with what happened unlike in the disaster zone she had worked on before, here there were plenty of trained hands and no one was going to die if she didn't get up and go work on them. She still instructed them to start IV's on the two ambulance attendants and the driver of the other truck who received some mean burns on his legs trying to help Laura and the second ambulance driver, after the first two explosions.

Laura made sure all of the other patients were taken to the hospital before she allowed herself to be loading in the last ambulance.

"I sure hope your air conditioning works better that the last one of these I road in." Laura commented as they lifted her gurney into the back of the ambulance. She received a few snickers and then noticed a few more on the faces of the firemen who were helping to load her and she soon thought she knew why they were laughing. She wasn't half way to the hospital when she decided the Paramedic riding with her must me some kind of advanced robot, every question she asked he answered by reciting from the manual. His name tag read Craig Brice."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Roy and John stopped in to check on their ride along to see her arguing with Brice. Or rather Brice was arguing with her. He would carry on for up to five minutes reciting rules and regulations and Laura would just respond with alternating "You don't say," Or, "oh really."

Dixie had her back to her patient because it was the only way she could hide her giggling and Dr. Early was wearing a mask to protect his patient from his cold but in truth he was hiding his laughs too.

Bellingham stuck his head in the door, "Brice we have a call," and Brice excused himself and hurried after his partner. As soon as the door closed behind him, Dixie, Dr. Early, John and Roy nearly fell on the floor laughing."

"I'm going to have to make that boy one of my projects." Laura puckered her face and looked at the door. "That man needs human lessons." Everyone in the room let out another round of Laughter.

Before Dr. Early was finished bandaging Laura's second degree burns and checking her over Squad 51 got a call and had to leave with out her but when they returned with their patient she was ready and waiting to, "head back into action."

Before they made it back to the station they received another call, Child stuck in a tree. Amazingly they were only a couple of blocks away when the call came in so they made good time to be greeted by a frantic woman with a cast on her leg saying that her granddaughter was up the tree and couldn't get down. The little girl looked to be between 3 and 4 years old. There was a ladder leaning up against the tree but the girl had climbed about five feet higher than the ladder and had her arms wrapped around the trunk of the tree.

Johnny and Roy exchanged glances and Roy took hold of the ladder to steady it while Johnny climbed up to get the girl.

"I forgot how fast these little one can move." The woman chattered while Johnny made his assent. "I just answered the phone and she was gone. I'm just watching her for my daughter while she's getting a special test they do on pregnant women these day. They say they can even tell if it's a boy or a girl before it's born now. In my day we had to wait until they got here to know that."

John and Roy smiled at the woman as they continued on with their work but Laura was noticing something they were missing. Once John reached the top of the ladder he started calling to the girl. "Just hang on I'll be right there." He said and as he took hold to climb the rest of the way up the little girl let go of her hold around the tree trunk and climbed higher to get away from him.

"I'm not going to let you take me away," She cried and continued to climb higher.

Fearing the girl was getting into branches that wouldn't hold her weight Johnny stopped his assent and when she didn't stop he resorted to telling her, "It's okay there sweetheart stay where you are and I'll climb back down a little ways while we talk okay."

When Johnny did climb down a few branches the little girl stopped climbing higher and once again wrapped her arms around the trunk.

"Laura I think you better call for an engine to give us a hand," Roy directed Laura and she walked over to the squad and picked up the radio to make the request but this time she knew where they were the address was on the slip of paper John had placed on the clip board. She even suggested that they respond non code R to keep from frightening their patient with the sirens, something that impressed Roy.

"I think we need a woman's touch up there while we're waiting for the cavalry." She looked at Roy, "May I?" she motioned upward with her hands.

Roy was reluctant but after exchanging a glance with his partner he nod his head. "Are you sure you can make it up there?"

Laura glared at Roy with her hands on her hips, "with and without a ladder." She then took the ladder two rungs at a time and then quickly reached John's side.

"Hey Stacy, your grandma tells me your going to get a new baby at your house," Laura talked as she slowed her climb.

"Yeah, I heard Mommy and Daddy talking last night and they think it's going to be a boy." Young Stacy sobbed.

"Do you think that means they won't love you any more?" Laura asked as she continued to climb very slowly.

"If they get a baby boy I think they is going to give me away," The little girl sobbed and Laura had her confirmation.

"Why do you think they're going to give you away?"Laura continued to climb closer and soon was securely seated on an appropriate limb very near the girl.

"Because my Daddy teaches at high school and he's the base ball coach he wants a boy not a girl."

"You know I had the same thing happen to me when I was your age." Laura made herself as comfortable in the tree as possible and subtly motioned for Johnny to back down even farther. "My dad was a forest ranger and he would take me to work with him sometimes. I just knew he wasn't going to let me do that anymore once he had a boy to take with him."

"Did he give you away?" the little girl asked and as unrealistic as her fears were there were clearly very real to her.

"Nope, a wise woman helped me talk with my dad and I was able to tell him all the things I could do that the baby wouldn't be able to do for a long long time."

"What could you do that the baby couldn't do?"

"Oh lots of things. For the first several months all that baby could do was eat, sleep and poop and he couldn't even feed himself." Laura began to list all the things she was sure the little girl now knew how to do starting with walk by herself and the little girl was so involved in the conversation that she didn't even see the big red fire truck drive up behind the squad.

Roy motioned to Johnny and then left the ladder to fill his captain in.

"What have we got here Roy?"

"There's a new baby coming to this young lady's house and she thinks if it's a boy her parents are going to give her away. The parents are at the doctors finding out if it's a boy or a girl now and she thinks we're the ones who are going to take her away," Roy summed up the situation quickly. "Laura is the one that picked up on things and she's got her talking but we're going to need a longer ladder once she convinces her to come down."

Captain Stanley quietly walked over where he could see up into the tree and the first thing he saw was John holding his fingers to his lips. Then further up the tree he saw his guest team member nearly lounging in the tree limbs her right arm bandaged from her elbow down.

Captain Stanley then turned to the rest of his men and held his finger to his lips as they disembarked the fire engine.

With in minutes Johnny was motioning to Roy and Roy motioned to his captain and the longer ladder was moved into place.

"See there, they know how special you are, they sent up the red ladder, just like they roll out the red carpet for special people." Laura chattered as the ladder was put in place and then held securely before taking hold of the girl with her bandaged arm and holding her tight as she climbed on the ladder and started down with John just below her to make sure she didn't fall.

When Laura was just a couple of rungs from the ground Captain Stanley reached up to take the girl from her arms only to have the girl though both arms around Laura's neck and hold on tight. Captain Stanley backed off. When Laura had both feet on the ground a car pulled up behind the engine and a man started running toward the gathered firemen followed some distance behind by a woman great with child and unable to keep up with her athletic husband.

"What's going on here?"

"This young lady has lots and lots of questions and chose a very lofty place to think on the answers some," Laura explained to the panicked young father. "I was able to answer some of her questions but I bet if she were to ask you the rest you could answer them." Laura again explained with a look that told everyone there that the father better answer them because they were important questions.

"Well yeah sure," the man joined Laura in a squat as she placed the young girl on her feet and let her lean against her for support while she asked her father the questions she needed answers to. "Stacy honey what do you want to know?"

"This lady said that when you have a baby you have to take what you get but when you're adopted you're special because you and mommy got to choose me. Is that true?"

The confused father looked around at the men surrounding him and then and the woman giving his daughter support. The look on her face was pleasant but conveyed the fact that this was a serious question that needed to be answered. "Yeah that's true but who told you, you were adopted?"

"Unca Jimmy," the girl answered and father, mother and grandmother showed signs of understanding.

"I'm going to strangle that brother of mine." The mother ranted as the father turned back to his daughter.

"See there," Laura spoke softly to the little girl, "Your mommy got a little brother too and she didn't get given away."

"Yes her did," the little girl turned to Laura and spoke softly in her ear but most of the firemen heard what she had to say, "They turned her into a bride and grandpa gave her away to my daddy."

"I stand corrected," Laura responded then proceeded to coax the girl to continue to talk to her father as she wrote something down on a small note pad she had and made sure the girl knew she was paying attention.

"Please don't give me away daddy," the girl pleaded, "I can help with the new baby even if it is a boy. The lady told me I can tell it stories while mommy is taking a bath and cooking dinner and stuff and even though I don't read yet I can make them up and draw my own pictures, and I know I'm little but the lady gave me her secret recipe for cookies that I can make if you help me." The girl leaned forward and pulled a piece of notebook paper from the pocket of her jumper and showed it to her dad.

"Yeah sure we can make those tonight," the father was encouraged. "I need to go to the store while mommy has a little nap would you like to go with me and help me get the right stuff to make them?"

The little girl looked happy for the first time as she looked to her mother, "Mommy can I go to the store with daddy?"

"Yes you may but lets go get your things from grandma first , Okay." The mother and daughter walked off hand in hand the little girl skipping the mother, well waddling and all was well again.

"Thank you so much," the father turned back to the Crew of Station 51, "I had no idea she was so troubled about things. You don't think she needs any counseling do you?"

"Na," Laura answered tilting her head to watch the mother walking, "You've got about a month and a half,--"

"Two months," the father corrected, "And yes it's a little boy."

"Like I was saying you have some time to convince her that you still love her." Laura pulled a page from her note pad and handed it to the father. "Here's a list of stories, I'm sure the library has at least most of them and the librarian can lead you to more. I survived a little brother I'm sure she can too."

"Should I tell her that she's not adopted, I mean I don't want her to think she's not special."

"That's up to you and your wife, but if it were me I'd wait at least until tomorrow and let her feel special for a while."

"Thanks for everything I really appreciate what you guys did."

"That's our job," Captain Stanley took control again then watched as the young father jogged off after his wife and daughter.

When he was out of ear shot Captain Stanley tapped Laura on the shoulder to get her attention. "You young lady should have let the men take care of that one, you had no business being in that tree."

"It never would have worked," Laura spoke with out anger and her arms folded in front of her being a little careful of her bandaged burns. "You're all boys and every girl knows you can't trust boys, Honestly."

Laura then turned and walked toward the squad and slipped in to the middle seat and once she was there the captain finally allowed himself to snicker. Cap had seen the secret recipe when the girl showed it to her father, it was for good old s'mors and he was sure father and daughter were going to have some fun talking and eating tonight.

Back at the station Roy and Johnny were still smiling over their last rescue as they rolled out of the squad, it was almost time for lunch and it was Roy's turn to cook so he hurried out to the kitchen while Johnny held the door for his guest and loitered around trying to find the words to apologize.

Chet jumped off the engine and was quickly at John's side and Mike was quickly at Laura's side and everyone else realized quickly that they were in the way.

Mike stepped up as the rest of the men departed and took Laura buy both shoulders. "Are you okay? I mean I'm sure you were thinking about your brother while you were up that tree."

"Yeah I was," Laura answered with a smile. "But you worry too much, just because he's dead doesn't mean I don't have a lot of good memories. I sure thought the world was going to come to an end though when my parents brought him home from the hospital." Laura gave a reserved laugh and slid her arm around Mike's waist and allowed him to lead her toward the back lot. Captain Stanley noticed this interaction and was trying to decide how to deal with it, if at all.

Before they reached the back lot and before Roy had all the ingredients assembled for lunch the tones sounded and the squad was sent racing to a woman down at an apartment complex four miles away.

They pulled up behind two police cars as they were pulling the equipment from the squad Laura took notice of the police woman talking to the victim that was sitting on the lawn and the police car that pulled in behind them where a man with his pants unzipped was pulled out of the back seat and led back for the woman to identify.

"Okay boys this one's mine." Laura spoke up as she took the drug box from John and handed him the biophone. "I'm going to need a blanket right off and for you two to give me some space."

Roy clearly didn't like being dismissed on his own rescue and followed close ready to push this ride along out of his way when the police woman stepped back to give Laura access and John put the pieces together and asked the question to get Roy to hold back. "Was she raped?"

"We think so." The police woman answered. "A guy she turned down at a disco last night, he waited until her roommate left for work and then broke the door in. the neighbors called us but I don't know if we got here in time."

While Laura wrapped a blanket around the traumatized woman John set up the biophone and made contact with Rampart to relay the information Laura would give him.

When the ambulance arrived Laura and the police woman rode to the hospital with her while Roy and John followed behind in the squad.

At the hospital the men waited at the nurse's station for Laura to join them. It wasn't a long wait as nurses, a women doctor and counselors were waiting when they arrived.

"Sorry I shoved you aside like that," Laura began as she walked up to her team mates.

"No apology needed," John held his hand up.

"You did what was best for the patient," Roy acknowledged.

"Well then are we ready to go," Laura made it clear she was.

"Sure," Roy answered then Dixie stopped them.

"Laura you've gotten several calls today from that organization you worked for. They asked that I have you call and to be sure to ask for Phyllis, She seemed pretty upset." Dixie informed. "I called the station and left the message and phone number with them so you might want to call when you get back."

"If Phyllis is calling it must be urgent. Where's the nearest phone?"

Dixie turned the phone on her desk around and handed Laura the pad with the phone number on it as she dialed with out looking. "HI Phil this is Laura what's up."

Three friends watched as Laura's face paled and she leaned against the wall for support. Her breathing was erratic and they were sure her pulse was way fast with out checking it. Something was wrong, really wrong.

Author's note: Yes it's another cliff hanger but I have to give you all a reason to watch for the next chapter. If you want the rest of the story quickly you had better give me the fuel I need to create it and send a few reviews my way.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

John responded to Laura's obvious shock by taking a hold of her upper arm with one hand while he stepped behind her and placed his other hand on her waist to hold her up. Dixie reached across the desk and took a hold of Laura's hand that was resting on the desk. Laura's eyes flew open wide and she rolled her hand over and took a tight hold of Dixie's then spoke one word, "When?"

Two deep breaths later another word, "Survivors?" After which she her knees buckled slightly and she nearly collapsed. If it weren't for the tight hold she had on Dixie and the hold Johnny had on her, she very well may have hit the floor.

"How many?" she managed to get out between heavy breaths. "What Mortician have you signed?" Then she turned angry, "where's your illustrious leader?" "That figures I didn't think he could handle things if he had a real disaster on his hands." "Yea, Yeah, I'll take care of it. What about the other two?"

Laura looked at Dixie in renewed shock before shouting, "Get them on a plane to the states now! Call your air transport connections out of Panama," "Just do it I'll take care of the rest." "Just get them on a plane!" "Get back to me as soon as you know when their expected to land." "Yeah I know, better than any one in that office, I know!"

When the phone was hung up Laura's hands were shaking but then she took hold of the counter and pulled herself to her maximum height and took in a deep breath and held it for a count of ten. Her face was still pale when she slowly blew the air out but there was a look of resolve and ready to go to work about her.

Dr. Brackett had responded to the nod from Dixie and the posture of the two paramedics holding Laura up at the counter and was at the counter quickly, "Bad run?"

"Bad phone call," Dixie corrected.

"Following a bad run," John added knowing the last run hadn't been easy on Laura.

Laura turned to her boss and supervisor. "There are two patients coming in on a plane sometime tomorrow morning; one is a victim of Mortar fire, the report I just got said she's in need of an amputation. But I know the nurse that's taking care of her and if it hasn't been done by now then she must believe there's a good chance to save the leg. Sorry that's all I can tell you at this point. The second patient is said nurse who has been the first patient's sole care giver for the last four days. She hasn't slept and probably hasn't eaten in that time. The report I just got is that she's so exhausted that she isn't speaking any language other than Spanish at this point. Can Rampart handle them when they get here?"

"You bet we can?" Brackett stood near attention and made a determined stand. "What about sending relief medical care in?"

"At this point it will take longer to get someone else in there that it will to just scoop them up and get' em home," Laura spoke from experience, "I'm about the only one licensed to go into that country at least the only one I know. I plan to be at the air port when they land to take over."

"I'm going with you," Dixie resolved.

"Let us know when their scheduled to land and I'll see to it that you have a Squad and Ambulance sitting on the tarmac waiting for them." Brackett added, "And I'll have an OR and Orthopedic Surgeon ready to go when they arrive."

"As soon as I know you will," Laura responded with a professionalism that paradoxed that fact that she was talking about close friends, "and Dix, the victim of the Mortar fire, , , Is Mags, Maggie Schwartz."

Dixie let out a gasp and was herself hanging on to the desk.

"I would really like to get her in here because we may be about the only friends she has left," Laura added.

"You said something about a mortician, how many are dead?" Roy spoke next, his year in Viet Nam just may have made him more seasoned to help with these victims than Laura was, but then again maybe not.

"14," Laura managed to get out but it was clear it was difficult for her to do so. "They were pulling out when the plane they were on went down there were no survivors. Last I heard there were only 15 rescue workers left in the organization. . . the high head count must include the pilot."

"Oh man," Johnny sighed in a whisper and hung his head. He didn't know any of these people but he knew some one who did and they were all rescue workers like himself; it hit close enough to home.

Laura's resolve faltered slightly in the silence that surrounded her but then she snapped out of it like a robot comes to life when someone flips a switch. "Their bodies will arrive at around one a.m. I need to find a mortician or morticians that can take care of them. I need someone prepared to handle multiple cultures and religions and prepare the bodies for burial with appropriate full honors, and some of the bodies will need to be shipped to other countries." Laura paused and looked back at Dixie. "Does the hospital have any connections or anyone they can recommend?"

"No." Dixie answered, "We have the Morticians in the area take turns to be on call if the family doesn't have prior arrangements or desires but I can't say that I know about any of them or can recommend any one and I don't know if which of them might be prepared to do what."

"The Fire department has a list," John stepped up, "I'll give Cap a call." He then headed for another phone but not until he had pulled Roy's hand over to replace his on Laura's upper arm.

By the time Laura had received her return call and was writing down the time the plane was expected to land and at what airport, John returned having received instructions from Captain Stanley.

When Laura turned her note pad around for Dixie and Dr. Brackett to look at John started to explain his instruction to his partner. "Cap wants us to take her back to the station, he has called the department Chaplain and grievance councilor and they should be their waiting when we get back."

"I'll be at the fire station," Laura made a command decision based on what she over heard. "Get those Bio folders sent to me by carrier and inform your illustrious leader that it would be appropriate for him to be there when the plane lands to show respect for his fallen employees." Laura then set the phone down and turned to the paramedics, "we better get going I have a lot to do before that plane arrives." Laura's face was resolved and emotionless but the strain of what lay ahead shown in her eyes.

During the ride back to the station Laura sat silently in between the two paramedics and kept her eyes straight ahead.

"Here we are," Roy broke the silence as he turned to back the squad into the bay.

"That must be why I'm so bad at finding my way around," Laura responded to Roy's comment, "Travel time has always been my time to regroup or catch some sleep."

As Laura's eyes adjusted to the change in lighting she noticed that the whole crew of station 51 plus two were gathered in the bay, when the squad door opened and John got out Mike was quick to step forward and offer Laura a helping hand to get out of the squad.

It was one of the new comers with the look of a religious leader that stepped up next. "Miss Elmer we would like to offer our condolences—"Laura held up her hand to stop him from saying any more.

"I can't go there right now," Laura paused to bite her lip a little, "There is a lot of work to get done and not a lot of time to do it in. I'll never make it if I can't keep it together until morning."

Laura then gave Mike's hand a gentle squeeze and turned a half hearted smile in his direction before squaring her shoulders, taking a deep breath and turning back to the new people at the station. "Are you the ones with the information I need to plan these funerals?"

"Well a list of rescores is what we have; we'll need to know a little more before we know for sure if we have enough."

"Well we better sit down and start putting the pieces together," Laura spoke with confidence before turning to Captain Stanley, "there should be a currier here soon with a package for me."

"I'll watch for it," Captain Stanley promised and started the chain of hand shakes and hugs that Laura received on her way to the office.

There was indeed a mountain of issues to deal with beginning with the needed permits to bring the bodies into the country, right though seeing to it that each person received the religious rights of their choice and how to properly recognize their heroic contributions to the betterment of mankind through out the world, then they had to figure out how to get the bodies to their final resting places, half of which would be in another country."

Before they left the room three morticians were called in, several religious leaders were contacted and Laura had agreed to identify each of the bodies before they were taken from the air port. Their identifications would be confirmed with their dental records kept in their bio folders, but having someone who knew them get things sorted out early would speed the process along.

It was Mike that dished up dinner plates and took them into the office. He stayed just long enough to make sure Laura was eating something and give her a squeeze on her shoulder. When it came to contacting next of kin Laura just turned that assignment over to Phyllis and reminded her to call all the rescue workers who had left the program too.

It was near eleven o'clock that night before they had the memorial service planned out. Not everything was arranged but they pretty well knew what they were going to do and what needed to be done. It was decided to use an air port hanger for the group memorial and several sources were called on to provide the many pall bearers that were needed.

Laura was then informed that a Fire Department honor Guard would be present at the air port when the bodies arrived as well as two ladder trucks to honor their fellow rescue workers.

All of the men of station 51 were still awake when Laura was guided out of the office and stood at attention behind Captain Stanley as he informed her that they would accompany her to the air port as long as they weren't on a call and that since they would need to leave in about an hour Mike had made up a bed for her on the sofa and Henry had volunteered to be her teddy bear while she got some rest.

Laura thanked them and went into the common room as the rest of the men made their way to the dorm. Since they were going to be up again in an hour they all chose to just lay on their bunks in their uniforms and while most of them were able to get to sleep Mike was not. After a few moments he swung his feet out of bed and into his shoes then grabbing his pillow headed for the dorm door.

"Michael," Captain Stanley's voice stopped his progress, and the quiet man just turned to face his leader. Captain Stanley got out of bed and remaining in his bear feet walked over to Mike an guided him into the bay before shutting the door behind them. "No activities that require you to remove your uniform." Mike was thankful for the darkness because he couldn't have been more embarrassed. "And remember any one of us could walk in there at any minute."

"Yes sir," Mike was finally able to answer and the captain let him go on his way.

When it was time to leave Captain Stanley called quietly to his men and while they were in the wash room straitening up Cap stepped into the common room to do the same for Mike and Laura.

When he stepped into the common room he found Mike sitting on the sofa with his head resting back against his pillow and Laura sitting next to him her head resting on his chest. Mike's arm was around Laura's shoulder, Laura's arm was across Mike's stomach, Henry was across both their laps. Both of them fully clothed, both of them resting calmly, both wide awake.

Laura was picked up by the county coroner who was required by law to be at the airport and the rest of them followed in the trucks. The two ladder trucks were there waiting for them raising the ladders and mounting an American flag between then to show respect and honor to the fallen heros as the plane landed and then taxied toward the unloading point all three crews stood at attention.

Once the hatch was opened Laura and the coroner walked up into the cargo hold and the firemen lined up behind them. Mike was about six men back from the front of the line and watched as each body bag was opened and Laura fighting her emotions as she told the coroner who each one was. They were all friends, people she had worked side by side with for up to a month in a shift, risked her life for and who had risked their lives for her. It was all she could do to keep it together. The only person she didn't know personally was the pilot but by identifying all the others which body was his was easy to figure out.

As each body was cleared to be taken off the plane the firemen teamed up in groups of two and carried the stretcher and body bag to the van they were directed to. When all 14 had been moved and the vans pulled away, the firemen gathered in teams and while the ladders were being lowered Mike watched for Laura to walk down the hatch. Before Laura came into view again Station 51 was called to investigate a smoke alarm and they had to leave. If the organization's leader was there no one noticed.

Mike left the station just as soon as his replacement arrived and with out taking time to change out of his uniform he climbed in his truck and headed for the airport. When he got there he found the rescue squad and the ambulance waiting but the plane hadn't landed yet. He walked up to the crew loitering around the ambulance drinking coffee and when he didn't see Laura he asked where she was.

"Shh," Dixie held her finger to her lips, "the plane took longer than expected to lift off and then had to detour around a storm front. I was able to get Laura to lay down in the back of the ambulance and she fell asleep I see no need to wake her up until they're landing."

"Good," Mike offered.

It was about ten minutes later that the airport PA system announced that the medical transport plane was making it's final approach and the side door of the ambulance swung open before the announcement was finished. There was no rubbing the sleep out of her eyes only smoothing her hair back into place Laura Elmer was ready for action.

As soon and the hatch started to open Laura had a hold of it and was pulling from the outside. Before it was locked open she was climbing the steps and into the plane. Mike and Dixie were right behind her and while Dixie started checking a pulse on the patient, Laura took the nurse's face in her hands and forced her to look at her.

"Alright Marie, I've got it now, it's time for you to stand down." Marie's eyes were glazed and showed very little recognition. Laura then pulled her against her shoulder and began to rub her back. "I'm going to take care of you both." Laura soothed as she rubbed her back.

"Maggie is in shock," Dixie announced.

"NO pain meds since yesterday," Marie spoke fighting with everything she had to keep her eyes open, "ran out".

"I'll take care of it; it's time for you to rest."Laura then turned to her support person, "Mike get her out of here; tell them to start an IV D5W wide open and administer 5ml Diazepam IM."

"Their not going to take those orders from me," Mike informed as he slipped his hand under Marie's knees and his other arm around her shoulders to lift her up.

"That's okay," one of the paramedics called form outside the plane, "We heard the orders, just bring us our patient."

"I need 75 MG of Meparidine," Laura called out the hatch, "And a fresh bag of Ringers."

"Coming right up."

0000

When Laura, Dr. Brackett, Dr. Morton and the orthopedic surgeon gathered together in the hall way the consensus was that things were a lot better than they had been lead to believe and in spite of limited and nonexistent supplies Marie had done an amazing job of keeping the patients distal circulation going and minimizing the risk of infection. The plan for action was to spend the day to stabilize the patient and then take her to surgery in the morning to repair the leg.

Laura was quick to tell them to expect Marie to sleep for 24 hours strait and then she would likely want to see a priest. She would have to be encouraged to eat.

"Well I think it's time for you to turn things over to us and go get some sleep yourself." Dr. Brackett prescribed. "You're not going to do any one any good if you get yourself run down like you were last spring."

"He's right you know," Mike stepped up to Laura and took hold of her shoulders from behind.

"It looks like your chauffer is here to take you home," Dixie smiled.

Laura looked over her shoulder at the strong fireman holding her up and nod her head, "Home James."

Mike glanced at Laura as often as he safely could during the drive to their apartment building she was doing her best to stay stoic but now that her team members were taken care of her emotions were ganging up on her.

Mike walked her up the steps to their floor. Her arms were hanging weakly at her side as they walked but Mike had his arm around her shoulder. He opened his apartment door and pulled her inside after making her a sandwich and coaxing her to eat it Mike then reached out and pinched her arm, a trick he had read about in a chapter called 'crowbars of conversation'. When she started to cry he pulled her into his arms and cradled her next to him. "Let me be your Teddy bear," he whispered into her ear.

He held her and rubbed her back as she continued to cry and Mike made no attempt to stop her tears. He just kept repeating, "Let it out, it's okay, go ahead and cry, it'll help you feel better."

When the tears ran dry Mike turned on some music and continued to hold her close and rub her back and Laura began to rub his chest and sleepily nuzzle under his chin. One thing led to another and . . .


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Mike lay awake, Laura's back against his chest his arm wrapped around her careful not to hurt her bandaged burns, their fingers interlocked. Her hair pulled loose now still smelled like ash, soot and gasoline from her close brush with death at the accident the morning before. He knew she had never really resigned herself to sit back and wait for the patients to be brought to her. She would only do so if she felt everything else was under control. He wondered if his captain understood her like he did, perhaps that is why Cap had asked him to keep an eye on her during that first call of the day. He was sure Roy and John had been given similar instructions. Laura was indeed a rescue worker, she knew the risks, she'd vowed to do what ever she could and she would not hesitate if she thought she could make a difference.

Mike looked at the clock on his bedside table and noticed it was just after 6 p.m... He should get up and fix the two of them something to eat but he didn't want to move. It felt too good to have Laura in his arms, more importantly he didn't want to wake her, she needed her sleep, she needed someone to be there for her so she wouldn't have to endure all of this alone. He was her teddy bear and he wanted to be there for her to help her through all that lay ahead, to be a positive teddy bear that wouldn't add to her pain or leave her with more problems later. If only he could somehow extinguish her pain and loss like the fires he often put out. He knew he couldn't but he wished he could, he was going to give it his best try.

He tried to understand how he would feel in her place; it was like he'd finally been promoted to Captain of his own station and then learned that his previous team had all fallen in a blaze. He tried to understand her sense of loss but he also knew he would see his friends again and couldn't feel the finality that he knew she was facing.

Sniffing the aroma in her hair once more, he found it exciting and exhilarating, his mind was drawn to the last written words his father had left him. A short note written while waiting to be dug out of an apartment collapse;

'There's this crazy tom boy of a nurse down here with us guys that keeps tickling my feet just to make sure I'm still alive.' He had written to describe Laura, 'I think she'd make a good catch for you and I'm sure she wouldn't have a problem being married to a fireman.'

Mike liked the thought of Laura as his wife, but did she feel the same for him, was it too early in the relationship to be thinking such thoughts? Too early or not he wanted to stay at her side forever.

There was a sniffle at his side and Laura pulled her hand from his to wipe the tears from her eyes. Mike quickly rose up on one elbow and snugged up his hold around her stomach to comfort her.

"I'm here, it's going to be okay," Mike started to croon as he brushed her hair away from her face with his nose and then kissed her temple. "I'm right here. We're going to get through this together."

"I could have saved them," Laura sobbed making no effort to move but instead just lay there next to him crying into her pillow. "If I had been there I could have saved them. I could have brought that plane down safely and they'd all still be alive."

"You don't know that," Mike countered, "You could just as easily been killed along with the rest of them."

"No, I'd have got'er down alright," Laura shook her head and Mike thought he noticed anger in her face. "The pilot had a bullet in his shoulder, he was drinking whisky for the pain and passed out from the alcohol," Laura reveled. "If I'd have been there I could have brought her down."

Laura rolled over on her back and slammed her fist into the bed at her side. "I told Stuart Masterson years ago that all of his people should be trained in emergency landings for just this very reason." Laura sobbed again and closed her eyes tightly to fight back the tears, it didn't work. Mike worked to take Laura's hand with out hurting her burned arm and once again intertwined their fingers. "He said it was a good idea but he never did anything about it, and his son is only interested in making money. When everything went bad he just sat at his desk drinking bourbon and saying he didn't know what to do. He didn't even show up at the airport to show respect for his workers." A sob and a sniffle later, "I should have been there."

"It's not your fault, you said yourself you told them to get training, you can't blame yourself because they wouldn't do it," Mike tired to release her from her guilt.

"I should have been there," Laura countered, "If I had been there they would all still be alive."

Mike continued to hold her and do his best to just be supportive and let her grieve; finally around 10 o'clock she sat up in bed. "I need to go get showered and cleaned up, I should be at the hospital when Marie wakes up."

Standing at his doorway in his robe he wondered if he was doing the right thing in letting her go.

Mike quickly showered and dressed and was found waiting on the steps when Laura was hurrying for her car. She had forgotten what Mike remembered, her car was still at the station. Mike drove Laura to the station but before he let her get in her car he took her by the hand and led her to the large map in the bay where he pointed out the best rout to the hospital. She then gave him a quick hug and went on her way leaving him standing in the back lot watching her drive off.

Mike stood there for some time before the shift's captain walked out with his night turn outs on to see what was going on. Mike explained about Laura and the crisis she was dealing with, something he had been informed of when he came on shift but now it had a familiar face to add to the tragedy.

The captain drug Mike inside for a glass of milk and a chance to talk before sending him on his way making a mental note to call Captain Stanley at a more reasonable hour.

Reluctantly Mike did go home, Sleep was slow in coming but he was exhausted so it did come. It was the phone that woke him around 9 a.m. the next morning. It was Cap checking up on him having been given a report from his counterpart. The two talked for a while and Mike relayed information about Laura's two surviving friends before admitting that Laura herself was an emotional mess and taking the blame for the deaths of the others. Cap had told him that there was an article about it in the newspaper so when they hung up Mike went out to buy one.

Mike actually bought two newspapers thinking Laura would like to read one when she finally slowed down a little. He was working to unlock his apartment door when he noticed an envelope taped to the outside with his name on it.

Pulling it off the door he went inside and sat in the nearest chair to open and read it. It was from Laura saying thank you for being there for her last night and that because he had helped her drain some of her grief she was better able to give her friends the support that they needed from her.

Mike sighed and felt some relief then followed the written instructions to turn the card over. On the back was a post script, Marie will be released from the hospital around noon today, Mags should be out of surgery by then so I'm going to bring Marie to my place for a while, at least until she's able to decide what to do next. Do you by any chance know someone who could take her to a Catholic priest, it would be good if this person and the priest could speak Spanish. I'll be back at the apartment about 1:30 you can tell me then.

Mike could only think of one person to call and Marco was very willing to be of assistance, he showed up at Mike's place around 1 p.m. and the two ate a light lunch and talked as they watched the parking lot. Mike did have a good view of Laura's parking space from his balcony.

It was just after two when Laura's car was seen pulling in to her parking stall and the boys hurried to the steps to greet them. Laura and Marie were walking toward the steps each with one arm around the other and in their other hands they each had a shake. Both of their eye's were red and puffy as they comforted each other and when Laura looked up and saw Mike and Marco standing at the top of the stairs she was able to find a smile for them.

Laura introduced Marie to the firemen and the firemen to Marie and Mike explained that Marco was here to take Marie to his Priest.

Marie was instantly appreciative and quick to express her gratefulness.

When Marco asked when she would like to go her answer was, "right away".

"What do you say I fix dinner for us while you're gone and perhaps Marco would agree to join us and make it a foursome?" Laura started planning.

"Si, I agree," Marco answered.

"I could make tamales," Laura offered.

"You better let me make the tamales," Marie advised, "You no get it right."

"Alright then have it your way, I'll make the salad and some fry bread to go with them then," Laura countered.

"With sugar and cinnamon?" Marie coaxed.

"With sugar and cinnamon," Laura agreed.

Marco then gentlemanly led Marie to his truck and drove off as Mike slid his arm around Laura's shoulders and followed her to her apartment. Since Laura still needed to spend some time on the phone making and finalizing arrangements for the memorial services Mike agreed to go shopping and make the salad.

While Mike was at the store he made sure to buy several boxes of tissues and the first thing he did when he returned to Laura's apartment was to open a box and place it at her side.

When Marco and Marie returned Marie looked to be more at peace and Marco was quick to join her in the kitchen to help with the tamales something that seemed to surprise Marie.

Since Laura had now dinning room chairs Mike slipped down to his apartment and brought his in for everyone to have a place to sit and during dinner someone kicked the layers of cardboard out from under the short leg making the table wobble and everyone laugh.

After dinner the four gathered in the living room and Laura and Marie shared memories of their fallen teammates as Laura pulled her photo albums out and Mike and Marco enjoyed the stories they shared and the pictures proved they had really happened.

Marie explained the burn scar on her neck and chin with the story of the orphanage fire they rescued eight children from in China.

Laura told more of their friend Mac's attempts to relieve their stress with meals made by throwing the ingredients in a bag and tossing it around the group to mix the ingredients.

"Some of those salads he fixed were a bit strange," Marie commented.

"Yeah," Laura agreed, "But anything was better than those military rations after a couple of weeks. Besides if you think those were bad you should have been with us in Pakistan." Laura talked as she calmed her laughter and reflected on a distant memory, "It was just after they found all those babies alive in the nursery of the collapsed hospital wing. We'd worked with them for a week and were sure we were going to be able to save three out of the eight babies they pulled out. The Red Cross had come in with supplies and fresh nurses and we were all stood down for the first time in three weeks. Mac decided we all needed to tie one on and dumped five or six maybe more types of booze in one of his bags with some kind of fruit juice and started tossing it around.

I only remember taking two drinks and when I woke up a day and a half later, I not only had a hangover to beat all hangovers I had a husband."

"You were married?" Marie rolled with laughter and Marco joined in, Mike however was surprised to hear Laura had been drunk and even more surprised at the revelation dealing with her first marriage.

"Did you know who he was before you were married to him?" Marie questioned through her laugh.

"Yeah, I knew him, In fact we were engaged to get married and planned to do so about six months later." Laura reveled. "I guess we just got carried away that night."

"Was he one of the ones that were killed in the tsunami in Indonesia?" Marie asked knowing Laura was no longer married.

"No, we divorced just a few months later. We never should have gotten married in the first place." Laura somberly informed, "It was Dr. Scott Meahu."

Marie gasped and looked at Laura with wide eyes, "He was on the---"

"Yeah," Laura confirmed, "So was his wife, they were expecting their first child in about five months." Laura's eyes began to leak once again and as Mike worked his arms around her shoulders Marco timidly did the same for Marie.

Since Mike and Marco had to report for duty the next morning they both excused themselves. Mike left telling Laura he would get his chairs another time. Laura had been relieved of her ride along training to deal with the memorial. She would consider weather or not to finish it when she'd worked through this crisis.

At roll call the next morning Captain Stanley asked for volunteers to serve as poll bearers at the memorial service at the end of their shift and Mike and Marco's hands flew up first but the others were close behind, every one of them would be there.

At the memorial service the hanger was filled with people. Mike saw Laura mostly from a distance as she ran from pillar to post greeting friends she'd not seen in ages and family members she'd never met. Laura and Marie actually served as pall bearers for three different caskets each while their sole surviving friend Maggie had been brought to the services by ambulance and rested on the cot with IV's still attached through out the proceedings', Dixie McCall and Dr. Brackett at her side.

When the several religious leaders stepped forward to offer prayers there were twelve caskets assembled in front of the chairs. Two of the fallen team members had been quickly buried in accordance with their religion. The remaining twelve bodies now lay in rest before those gathered to offer their respect, each coffin draped with the flag of their country. Only five were from the US the rest were from Canada, Mexico, British Columbia, France, Brazil, Peru and Italy. It truly was an international organization.

Laura gave the Eulogies; each person was talked about at length including the two that had been previously buried and Sy Macgregor who had died three weeks before the rest. The Men of station 51 A shift recognized several of the names they had heard them before when Laura had talked about her ideal team. Each person received posthumous awards for honor, heroism and bravery. Marie and Maggie also received those awards and Laura looked honored to drape them around their necks.

After several more speeches of a religious nature each casket was again carried from the hanger and loaded on one of several planes set up to take them the rest of the way home. Many would be accompanied by family members others by religious leaders, one would be accompanied by a military leader and yet another would have a government leader at his side for the last trip home.

As the remaining throngs were visiting at the services conclusion Laura hurried to Maggie knowing she would soon need to be taken back to the hospital, then back off so that those who had traveled far for the services could have their chance.

Mike found his way to Laura's side and Marco found his way to Marie's side and they each offered their support to the two emotional women.

As the crowd thinned Laura noticed her former supervisors Mr. Masterson and his son. The son appeared to be under the weather and his father totally dismayed. If the organization was going to survive it would now have to be built back up from the beginning. Laura was hoping that they wouldn't even try.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next few days Mike saw more of Laura on the news than in person. The CEO of the international Medical organization had given out a press release after the Memorial Services, laying most of the blame for the lost team members to Laura backing out of the mission at the last minute. Laura was given a chance for rebuttal and in a press conference that lasted a couple of hours Laura countered every accusation that was made with statements that could easily be confirmed through independent sources. Every news agency in the country was having a hay day with the information but she had had to give out a lot of personal information also, like her time in therapy, the death of her brother by suicide while she was just in the next room and even the episode where the fire department had to pull her off of the ledge at Rampart. Laura was easily acquitted of all the charges against her with her reputation only slightly stained and the organization received enough bad press that no one in their right mind would want to work for them.

At the end of her press conference Laura made a statement that put Mike at ease. "I'm very saddened at the loss of so many of my good friends and team mates. And yes had I been on that plane there is a good chance that I would have been able to bring it down safely. But for the following reasons I would have never been on that plane. 1, I never thought this was a mission that this team should have been assigned to. It was more of a mercenary mission than the kind of a mission we are trained and practiced in. that is why I did not renew my employment with them. Second, if I had gone I would have been sent to a different area with my own team that is how they have done it ever since I completed the required training for Medex. The third and biggest reason I never would have been on that plane is that I never would have left any of my people behind. I would have remained on the ground to care for the injured until other transportation arrived. That's what I've always done in the past and that is what I would do had I been there, and what I will do in the future."

Maggie had been declared disabled 'again,' even though they had managed to save her leg she would likely have to wear a brace on it for the rest of her life to go with her prosthetic hand. There was a representative from a company that designs prosthetic limbs that was talking to her about fitting her with a more useful hand but no conclusion had been reached yet.

Marie had made a press statement that she felt it was time for her to find a new line of work something that would allow her to build a life of her own and settle down a little. She was starting to put in applications at several hospitals in the area as an OR nurse. Marco and his mother were helping her with transportation for the time being.

On Laura's first official work day in the ER the crew of 51 A shift were on duty. Roy and John got their first chance to turn a patient over to her at the hospital and brief her on what was done and what Dr. Morton had ordered. A doctor would need to see the patient eventually but Laura was quick to order the lab work and x-rays the doctor would need streamlining their work. The rest of the doctors were quickly growing to appreciate her as part of their team. Dixie had been preparing her nurses to work with Laura and it showed. The nurses were quick to learn how to work with her and only two full suture trays were opened the first day.

There were a few patients that wouldn't let her examine them, some had seen her in the news and didn't know what to believe for sure. Others just wanted the best of care and didn't think half a doctor or an almost doctor could give it to them. Laura took it all in stride and just kept moving, pitching in to do the work of orderlies and nurses she was quick to demonstrate that she didn't think she was better than anyone.

Later that afternoon while the fire fighters of station 51 were working over a trash fire Chet was raking through the trash to make sure it was completely out when a glass bottle containing something flammable probably some wine exploded in his face. Chet wasn't hurt seriously, they didn't even call the squad to look him over, he just had a cut lip, a cut that went through his prized mustache.

Captain Stanley just sat him down on the running board giving him some gauze to hold pressure on his own cut and stop the bleeding while he worked with Marco to make sure the fire was out before telling Mike to drive the engine to Rampart so they could get Chet taken care of. When they arrived at the hospital Mike and Marco took the injured Irishman by each arm and walked him up to the nurse's desk while he continued to hold pressure on his lip. John and Roy had just finished up in a treatment room with a cardiac patient and stepped in the hall way to see the rest of their crew standing at the desk waiting for the charge nurse to tell them which room to take Chet too.

While they waited for a room to become available Johnny took a quick look at Chet's lip and started teasing him about having to have half of his mustache shaved off.

"Can't I get it tied shut with my mustache like Mike had his cut tied together with his hair?" Chet asked as he was being forcefully guided to the next available treatment room."

When Dr. Early entered the treatment room Chet repeated his request and Dr. Early gave the cut lip a second look. "I don't know, I've only seen that kind of suturing done once and being near the mouth poses more possible complications. What'd a ya say we get the expert on that procedure in here and find out what she thinks?"

"Sure," Chet pleaded from the treatment table, "I'd like that very much."

Laura had just confirmed a sprained ankle and wrist on a boy who had wrecked his bicycle and the boy's mother had just asked for a second opinion when Dr. Early walked into the room. "I'm sure Dr. Early hear would love to give you a second opinion," Laura happily declared, "Dr. Early here are the x-rays."

"While I'm looking these over there is a patient in room five who is requesting your assistance if you don't mind." Dr. Early took the x-rays from Laura's hand.

Laura pulled him to the corner and whispered in his ear. "Some one is actually asking for me?"

"I kid you not. Room five." Dr. Early confirmed with a smile. He had spent a good part of his day just following Laura around and telling the patients the same thing she had already told them and knew she was feeling a little discouraged.

When she walked into the room she found all of station 51 with Chet Kelly on the table and the rest of the crew standing around. Chet had his hand clamped over his mouth refusing to let the nurse shave off his mustache.

"What's going on here?" Laura asked, her first thought was a prank by Jester Chester.

"Can't you fix my split lip the same way you fixed Mike's cut on his head," Chester spoke through his hand, afraid to take his hand away from his mouth for fear that the nurse would manage to get his mustache off before he could get it back there.

"Well I don't know for sure," Laura took a step up to the table and adjusted the light. "I'm going to have to take a good look at it and then I can tell you. But you're going to have to take your hand away from your face first."

Chet slowly and carefully moved his hand down and Laura found she had to numb the lip up in order to get a good look at his gums under the lip before she was ready to make a recommendation. By then Dr. Early had returned and Laura chose to lay out the options and concerns in front of the patient. "We do have a cut lip and adequate hair to tie it shut with." Laura began, "Being so close to the mouth it is a higher risk for infection because of the moisture and bacteria that is present in the mouth. In order to prevent that I would use a strong soap and a salve that I'm sure is going to get in your mouth to some extent and I'm sorry to say it doesn't taste, well it tastes pretty rotten."

"Oh do it," Johnny cheered, "He really needs his mouth washed out with soap."

"But you can fix the cut with out shaving off my mustache, right?" Chet continued to plead.

"Yes, I believe I can," Laura smiled.

With Chet's permission everyone moved closely to watch how Laura did her work and she had to ask them to back out of her light a couple of times. But she did manage to get the lip tied together and Chet did have to agree the stuff she used to clean it out tasted horrible but it was better than getting his mustache shaved off. His mustache hair was also stiff enough that once it was tied the hair she used to tie it with stood straight out and looked obviously out of place, but that was easier to deal with than having his mustache shaved off.

Before the crew left Laura took a moment and looked Mike's head over and determined he was ready to have his stitches removed. Taking just a minute to clip the knots away she then laid the tied together strands of hair on a tongue depressor and taped the knots down presenting them to Mike for a souvenir.

"Wow," Johnny combed through Mike's hair with his fingers, "You can't even tell he had stitches."

Mike just slapped his hands and grinned before pulling his comb out of his pocket and combing his hair back in place.

"I'm having her do my stitches next time I get a cut on my head," Johnny declared.

About dinner time Cap did have Laura tie his head shut when Roy accidently knocked a glass jar off of the top shelf of the cupboard while Cap was pouring a cup of coffee underneath. He was hit in the head and cut his scalp.

For the hour it took them to take Hank to the hospital get him fixed up and get him back to the station Mike was in charge. They had one fire at a wrecking lot and returned about ten minutes after Hank and the paramedics got back.

The out of place hairs in Chet's mustache brought more attention than anyone would think they would. Mostly because Chet was such a tease that everyone jumped at the chance to ask him about it in an attempt to embarrass him. Each time he just told the person who asked what had happened with pride that he had found a way to get fixed up with out having to shave off his mustache.

Word of this new technique started to spread through out the fire department and from there to the police department and increasing numbers of people with head wounds started traveling out of their way to come to Rampart for the procedure and twice Laura was called in from home to tie them up. The regulars in the Emergency department started trusting her more too and their confidence did a lot for the new comers as well. There were still those patients that only wanted a real doctor and Laura was quick to hand over any patient she didn't feel she was qualified to treat. All in All she was liking her job, a lot.

Since Marie was staying with Laura she and Mike's private time was non existent. Marco joined the group several times and the foursome had a lot of fun together but it was just that fun, not really what Mike wanted.

On Mike's next shift the station was just cleaning up after lunch when the phone rang. After Hank answered it he called, "Mike it's for you."

"Hello," he said. The voice on the phone sounded familiar but his couldn't place it. He was asking if it was alright for his daughter to ask him a question. Not sure how to respond he agreed and the next voice on the phone sounded to be very young.

"Hello," "Yes my name is Mike," "Yes I gave your Laura her teddy bear;" "Sure you can come see my fire engine." "Yes your brother and sister too, let me talk to your dad and I'll tell him how to get here."

When Mike talked to the father again he realized it was Laura's friend Carlos and twenty minutes latter Captain Stanley was escorting his entire family into the equipment bay to see Mike's engine.

Marco, Chet, Johnny and Mike all recognized Robert as soon as he walked in and were quick to call him by name and offer him a high five. They each noticed that the boy was wearing shorts where the last time they saw him he was wearing long pants on the calf of one leg was a large scare they were all sure came from a burn. Both Mike and Marco knew then that he and his sister were two of the eight children Laura, Marie and their crew pulled out of the burning orphanage in China.

The two little girls one about four shared a lot of physical features with her brother and Mike was sure the were biological siblings and the other girl looked to be two going on sixteen she had a slightly darker complexion with light brown hair with natural red highlights. She walked in looking as grown up as could be with a real stethoscope around her neck. It wasn't an expensive stethoscope but it was real.

Carlos and his wife Malinda were walking hand in hand behind the kids and Malinda was carrying a movie camera.

The four year old girl Jasmine ran to the big fire truck and immediately bent down to look under it. Melinda started filming as soon as Jasmine got down on her belly and started slapping the floor under the fire truck. "Where's all the water and how come it has tires on it?" she asked and while everyone in the bay was totally confused by her question but her father was fighting with every cell of the body to keep from falling on the floor laughing.

Noticing the look on the captain's face Carlos pulled his ID out of his pocket and flashed it for his benefit. Before flipping a flap in his wallet to reveal a picture of a fire float. "That's my baby, the only one these guys have seen until now."

Suddenly the young girl's questions made sense. "Well you see, your daddy's fire float is used to fight fires on places that are close to water. This fire truck is for fires that are a long ways away from lots of water."

"Why would any one want to have a fire where there's not lots and lots or water to spray on it?" the young girl was honestly perplexed.

"Well no one wants to have a fire, that's why they call us to hurry over and put it out."Chet squatted down to talk to the young girl.

"If you don't float there on the water what do you spray on the fire to make it go out?" the girl asked Carlos had his hands on his son's shoulders helping him deal with the embarrassment of his sister's questions. While Chet and Marco were teaming up to show the girl where the water was loaded in the truck and where they hooked up all the hoses.

Mike offered to show Robert anything he wanted to see but he kept looking over at the younger of the two girls as she walked over to the Squad and looked it over. "Do you have banages in there." The little girl named Jessica asked and Roy was quick to squat down to talk with her.

"We have lots of things in there to help people feel better would you like to see them."

The little girl looked up at Roy with a smile that started in her toes and went clear to the top of her pony tails that were standing strait up. After they showed her some of their equipment the girl proceeded to give each member of the fire station a quick physical. Each one was diagnosed with various diseases. Chet had a tummy grumblies, so did Marco, Cap had a head ache, Johnny had a sore throat. Chet and Marco were each given two elephant animal cookies and told to take them with milk. Cap was given two monkey cookies and told to not yell so much. Johnny was given two lion cookies and told they would eat his sore throat all gone. Mike was given a band aid to make his hurt button not fall off along with two bird cookies and Roy was given a hippo cookie and a camel cookie and a Band-Aid on his shoe for the hurt foot he didn't know he had. Each of them was told to call her in the morning if they didn't feel better.

The whole time their mother was filming them and the father was just sitting on the engine's running board and laughing quietly at everything his two girls were saying.

For the rest of the shift when ever there was a quiet moment someone would break out laughing and knowing they were remembering the tour they were given of their own station would bring memories to the rest and in moments everyone was laughing. Even though out the night, sleep would be interrupted by someone giggling weather they were awake or dreaming no one knew for sure.

When he was off shift, Mike went home, opening his apartment door he tossed his duffel bag on the chair then pulled the door closed again and headed for Laura's apartment. He just had to tell her about her friend's children and their tour of the station.

As the door to Laura's apartment opened young Robert was holding the door knob at a glance Mike could see that the apartment was wall to wall sleeping bags and air mattresses. Carlos invited him in saying that Laura was taking a cold shower and invited him to share breakfast with them. Laura did enter the room soon after and before he knew it Mike had accepted and invitation to join them all at Disneyland.

It was a new experience for Mike to be surrounded by children but all in all he had a great time and could tell Laura was enjoying herself too. Little Jessica though seemed very possessive of 'her Laura,' and didn't seem to like the attention Mike was showing her. Everything Mike would hold Laura's hand or put his arm around her Jessica would push her way between them. Toward evening Mike and Laura sat on a bench near one of the concert stages while Carlos and Malinda took Robert on some of the wild rides. Laura had a sleeping Jessica on her shoulder and Mike had a sleeping Jasmine's head on his lap. Smiling at each other they enjoyed the music being played and Mike noticed Laura's head bobbing in time with the music and from time to time she would bring her hand in the air as if she were directing it.


	20. Chapter 20

Author's note: Sorry this chapter took so long I got really stuck on one section and it took me several days to find the words I wanted to use, It was a lot easier after that. Also I notice that I failed to give an explanation to the profession of Medex, there is such a thing and it was a growing field in the sixties and seventies, now more common are Nurse practitioners and physician Assistants, although the training is different for each they all have very similar skills and duties.

Chapter 20

One evening when Laura came home from work she found Marco in her living room and candles burning on the table and quickly backed out again pulling the door shut behind her. Maggie had been released from the hospital when Carlos and his family returned from their vacation the day before. Since Maggie had a brother and sister in Oregon, Carlos agreed to drop her off on his way home. This was the first night Laura hadn't spent a few hours after work visiting with Maggie before coming home. She had obviously not been expected.

After standing in the hall for a few moments trying to decide what to do until it was safe to enter her apartment Laura walked down the hall and gave Mike's door a quiet tapping. When there was no answer she sighed and leaned her back against the door with her full weight trying to decide what to do next. That's when the door opened and she fell right into Mike's fast moving arms.

"Well hello," Mike said in laughter, "It's nice of you to drop in."

"Well thank you," Laura answered in the same laughter and pink cheeks, "It's so nice to be caught by you at home."

Once Mike had Laura standing on her own two feet he asked, "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

Laura took a moment to come up with a less than angry answer to Mike's question, "I'm home earlier than usual since Maggie was released and taken to Oregon yesterday and I find my- um the apartment occupied by M &M."

"M & M, as in Marie and Marco?" Mike added up Laura's narrative.

"Yeah, and it was rather obvious that two was all the company they intended." Laura finished explaining. "Anyway I got to wondering if you would be willing to go for a walk with me?" Laura's invitation was slightly hesitant and Mike was a little concerned.

"Of course I'd love to, where would you like to go?"

"That Park about a mile from here would be just fine with me," Laura answered.

Mike quickly grabbed a hooded sweat shirt and a second one for Laura and followed her out the door, "Your wheels or mine?"

"How about my wheels for a change," Laura suggested and Mike willingly changed his direction to her car while handing her the second hooded sweat shirt. "Ah, a wearing blanket," Laura commented as she pulled the sweat shirt on against the chilling night air, "That's what we call them in the field when we're putting them on the children we're working with. I'm not sure who came up with it first but it seemed to fit," Laura explained at Mike's confused look.

When they reached the park and locked up the car Mike was quick to offer his hand to be held and the hesitance that Laura used in reaching out for it left Mike feeling sure she had more than a walk intended that night.

"I've been seeing a counselor," Laura finally spoke up when they were a couple hundred feet from the parking lot, "Since just after the Memorial." She looked at Mike and worked her hand in his till the fingers were interlocked. "Brackett suggested it and after the organizations press release I had to agree it was a good idea. The first one and a half sessions helped me prepare for the press conference and then brace myself for the aftermath." Laura hesitated again and looked away from Mike this time as her grip on Mike's hand loosened noticeably. "The next two and a half sessions we've talked about you."

The two of them walked along slowly and silently for another hundred feet or so, Mike didn't know what to say he hoped Laura would just keep talking. The last thing he wanted to say was the wrong thing.

"Was it good or bad?" Mike finally let out focusing with all his might not to make her feel trapped or tighten his grip on her hand or loosen it either.

Laura stopped, turned toward him then looked down at his feet, "a little of both but mostly good," she finally answered before looking him in the eye, "there's some things we," Laura sighed and took a breath, "I really need to talk to you about."

"I'm listening," Mike responded as he gently led Laura to a picnic table and bench then after hesitating for a moment he sat down but continued to hold Laura's hand hoping she would set down next to him but letting it be her choice.

Laura chose to sit on top of the table and Mike turned around so that they were facing each other. Laura was quick to adjust to Mike's other hand and held onto it in a comfortable manner resting the clasped hands on her knee.

Laura tried to talk a couple of times before she finally was able to get words out of her mouth and Mike patiently remained silent waiting for her to form the words she needed to say. "It's about what happened between us the afternoon after Marie and Maggie were settled in at Rampart." Laura hesitantly began and Mike could tell but the way that she was carefully choosing every word she spoke that what she was trying to say was important to her. "I want you to know that there's no one else in the world that I could have let get that close to me. I just need to know what you expect of me now that we've made that move."

Mike realized that the ball was now in his court and wisely chose to think on his response before giving it. His memory had been focused on the moment Laura had been talking about since she mentioned it. He did want to repeat that activity but only, and he realized that he would only want to have a physical relationship with some one who wanted the same, then he remembered Laura chasing him and the guys out of the apartment over a comment of entertaining in the bedroom and his heart fell into his stomach and started tying it up in knots.

"Laura, I would never want you to do anything that you're not comfortable with." Mike answered his face growing pale, "Oh no! Laura I'm so sorry, I never meant to take advantage of you. I-"

Laura reached up and very gently placed the fingers of her other hand over Mike's lips, "What happened that day was no where near rape," Laura spoke softly but with resolve, "My whole world had crashed down around me I was ready to collapse in more ways than one. I needed you right then, everything that took place was very consensual." Laura paused to think her next words over before letting them escape her mouth, "I'm now very conflicted, I felt so safe in your arms and I really enjoy being with you, but I also remember my mother telling me that any woman who sleeps with a man before their married is a slut, and we really haven't been seeing each other that long."

"Laura, you are not a SLUT," Mike responded in earnest. "I'm so sorry, that I did anything to make you feel that way," Mike was breathing heavy tears streaming down his face; He had hurt someone he cared deeply for. How could he have given in to his hormones so easily, so quickly?

Laura brushed his tears away with her hand, "It's all feathers on the wind now, there's nothing we can do to get it back." Laura spoke as calmly as she could, "I just need to know that you're not going to expect a repeat performance now every time we're alone together. I need to know that we can work on getting to know each other better in other ways first before we revisit the bedroom."

"I can to that, yes or course, I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do, I promise I'll never do that again." Mike stammered.

"I think a better plan would be to agree to have this conversation again in a few months." Laura countered, "After we've been together a little longer."

"Yeah," Mike responded realizing she was right, "I can definitely live with that."

Laura gave a deeply relieved sigh then slid down from the table top and sat on the bench next to Mike, after the two looked at each other for a few moments Laura held her arms out and Mike fell into them at the two hugged.

"Mike, I am a trained medical worker and I know that if men get aroused to a point and then don't, um, you know, that it gets very pain full. I need to know that you'll be able to stop me before you get to that point."

Mike slipped his hand between her face and her hair and cupping her cheek in his hand looked into her eyes, "Yes I can do that."

After a brief moment in each other's arms Mike and Laura again attempted their walk, her arm around his waist his arm around her shoulders their pace slow and comfortable. It had been an awkward conversation but one they were both glad they'd had.

"You know you're really good for me Mike," Laura spoke again, "for the first time since Indonesia I can hear music in my mind, I actually get these tunes in my head from time to time and have to stop and figure out what they are and where I've heard them." Laura turned a smile toward Mike, "I really feel like I'm healing."

"That's terrific," Mike returned her smile. "What kind of music?"

"All kinds at this point, I've always had a wide interest in all kinds of music." Laura spoke thoughtfully, "I haven't been able to extend the music out to my Violin yet but hopefully that will come in time."

"I have an idea that might help," Mike offered.

Laura studied his face for a moment then sighed, "I'll try just about anything once."

Mike proceeded to convince Laura to let him drive her car and they went to a mall and straight to a Musical instrument shop. Mike managed to get the manager to let Laura try out a few Violins while he tampered with the keyboards and Piano's. In time Laura was able to play some simple tunes to Mike's accompaniment and when the store closed Mike bought a rather expensive electronic keyboard and accessories and Laura bought two sets of violin strings, a new bow, and some fresh rosin.

Over the next two weeks Laura was only able to play while Mike was there and accompanying her but after that she was able to practice on her own while Mike was at the station. Mike took his Keyboard to work with him a couple of times but was too bashful to get it out of his truck and practice with the other guys around.

Marie got a job working as a surgery assistant with a group of orthopedic surgeons and soon moved out of Laura's apartment to one closer to her work and Laura no longer had to worry about who might be in her apartment when she got home from work.

Mike and Laura were having a particularly good practice session in Laura's apartment one night when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. When Laura answered the door there were two police officers in the door way responding to neighbors' complaints about the noise.

Mike and Laura responded by taking their instruments to the park and practicing there, People passing by would toss coins into Laura's violin case. They collected enough to buy a couple of ice cream bars at first but when they increased their repertoire to include music of the day that was heard on the radio the contributions increased enough to pay for a nice dinner out on a regular basis.

Chet approached Mike at work and asked permission to contact Laura on a personal issue and hiding his reluctance Mike granted the permission, after that Mike was a currier between Laura and Chet on several occasions taking large envelops of stuff back and forth from the station.

The department's fireman's welfare committee advertized a pre fireman's ball dance, and everyone at the station bought tickets to the event. The next circus was watching the single guys tussle to get dates for the event.

As the day grew closer Mike noticed Laura often seamed distracted and consumed with thoughts she wasn't willing to share. Mike asked her several times what was bothering her but she didn't answer the first several times then finally only answered that she was having some issues with a trust fund. "But it's nothing you need to worry yourself about I just need to wait for the lawyer to translate the paperwork for me that's all."

Just before the dance Laura made a quick trip back to New Mexico returning early the morning before the dance.

When Mike walked down the hall, wearing his best suit, to escort her to the car, he was left breathless at the sight of Laura standing in the door way. Her hair was piled elegantly on her head with a beautiful beaded hair piece off to one side. Her dress hugged her shapely form to perfection and was the perfect color of red to bring out her natural beauty.

"Wow," Mike's eye's nearly popped out of his head.

Laura just smiled and blushed at Mike, "Shall we go?"

The music for the dance was pure armature night and most of the patrons were leaving early. Captain Stanley and His wife and Roy and His wife were among the first to leave. Chet and his date weren't hitting it off anyway so they were close behind. Mike was considering following them out as were John and his date and Marco and Marie. Laura however had another idea.

"You know my Violin is in the trunk of the car," She whispered in Mike's ear.

Johnny was just looking for his remaining shift mates to see if they were interested in getting together someplace else to have some fun when he saw Mike slip onto the piano bench next to the piano player and place his hands on the keys. As he took over the music the other musicians stopped in confusion as Laura stepped up next to the piano and placed her violin between her chin and shoulder and put her bow to the strings.

For the rest of the night the music was much better, even the rest of the band managed to pitch in. the dance floor filled with everyone left and there was plenty or rock and roll as well as slow dancing music to last until the wee hours in the morning.

Mike and Laura tried hard to keep the volume of their giggles down as they walked arm in arm to Laura's apartment Mike with his suit coat draped over his arm and carrying Laura's violin.

Inside Laura's apartment they allowed their laughter to increase slightly as they tenderly kissed and nuzzled into each other. Mike was thinking seriously of reproaching their conversation on physical intimacy when the phone rang.

Laura reluctantly pulled away from Mike and answered the phone, "Laura Elmer's residence," there was a very short pause as Laura's facial expression turned totally professional, "I'll be right there."

Laura then turned to Mike and she reached behind her to unzip her dress. "There's been a twenty plus car pile up on the freeway they need all the help they can get, I've got to go." Laura then raced into her bedroom and in his mind Mike could see her dress flying and her work close coming on as fast as he would step into his turn outs.

Mike moved to place Laura's keys on the coffee table where she usually kept them and noticed several papers spread out across the table. After setting the keys down he gave into his curiosity and gave the papers a looking over. One in particular took his breath away. It was a lab report showing a positive pregnancy test.

Laura raced out of the bedroom dressed for work with her lab coat draped across her arm as she scooped up the keys from the table and ran out the door calling back for Mike to lock up when he left.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

How could this have happened, he had taken precautions. Mike washed his face and stood looking at himself in the mirror. He then opened the cabinet and pulled the box from the shelf behind the mirror. He never noticed before but at that moment the expiration date stood out like a neon sign. They had expired two years ago.

It was a good thing that Mike had taken a nap during the day because he wasn't able to get much sleep that night.

Of course he would marry her now; he's been thinking he wanted to marry her someday anyway, he really wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, to always have her by his side, now how was he going to convince her that it's not just because of the baby. They would need to hurry before she started showing he didn't want her to have to explain to anyone how she got pregnant out of wedlock. He couldn't put her through that kind of humiliation. This whole mess was all his fault any one who knew anything would be able to do the math and know it was a shotgun wedding. How could he have done this to Laura?

Finally unable to sleep Mike pulled on his robe and went out on his deck. The air was cool the city lights were bright the sound of traffic was distracting, somehow it all helped and as he stretched out on his lounge he was able to think a little more clearly.

When Mike noticed the sun had come up he stepped back in the apartment to find that his alarm had long gone off and if he didn't move it fast he was going to be late for work.

00000

Roy and Chet were in the locker room talking about how lousy that band had been for the dance last night.

"Truth be known Roy," Chet talked as he buttoned up his shirt, "that was about all the time I could stand to be in the presents of the young lady I was with."

They were just getting into their shoes when Johnny and Marco hurried in together.

"Do you think he's going to make it to work today?" Marco asked Johnny as they both pulled their shirts from their shoulder. "You know as quiet as he is he'd had to have partaken of the punch bowl to be able to do what he did, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah," Johnny pulled his uniform shirt on and looked at Marco thoughtfully as he buttoned it. "As shy as he is in public he must have been pretty um, you know." Johnny pulled his pants on and started tucking in his shirt. "It's a shame too because he was really good."

"Really good, he sure livened up that place last night," Marco agreed, "Maybe they should hire him to play for their next dance."

"What are you two talking about?" Roy interrupted the conversation and that's when Mike came running through the door having already pulled his shirt from his broad shoulders.

"Later," both Johnny and Marco said as they became suddenly silent and totally focused on getting dressed. It was clear to Roy who the two had been talking about and he turned his attention to Mike. He didn't exactly look all that good could he really be hung over? Yes, Roy had to admit that their friend did look a little worse for the wear.

"Roll Call!" was heard from the bay and Mike started running tucking his shirt in as he made his way to the line.

When they were all lined up Captain Stanley looked up from the clip board in his hands and scanned his men. With a confused look on his face he walked a few steps to stand in front of Mike, his head moved as he looked down at Mike's shoes then scanned upwards till he was looking his engineer straight in the eyes. Tapping his pencil on the clip board Captain Stanley stepped back and continued on with his morning roll call.

"There has been a call out from the welfare committee, it seems that after some of us left the dance last night some new talent took over on the music and they would very much like to know the names of those people for future reference." Hank read before looking up at his men and noticing that Marco and Johnny were both looking at Mike and Mike, who was staring straight ahead, was rapidly changing color to match the engine behind him. Chet and Roy noticed the head game too and also looked over at Mike but their expressions were ones of disbelief. Hank was sure he had the same unbelieving look on his face and silently pointed his finger in Mike's direction. Johnny and Marco responded with subtle nods to the affirmative and Hank thought he knew why his engineer looked the way he did.

"Alright then, Roy you have the bay, Marco the dorm, Johnny you can help Roy with the bay, Chet has another one of his new recipes to try on us today, will that work with you leaving for a few hours and are you covered?"

"Yes Cap," Chet replied as all eyes in the station turned to him, "My replacement will be here at eleven hundred hours and I should be back before 14:00 for sure. Lunch will be build your own sandwiches and the big surprise will be for dinner."

"For the rest of your information, Chet will be meeting with a literary agent and a publisher to negotiate publication of the manuscript he was given, it is my understanding that he and Laura Elmer have been working together to get it ready and that the proceeds are going to go, , where is it now Chet?"

"To an organization that teaches doctor's and nurses in impoverished area's how to treat some of the common complications in medicine and provides them with the equipment and supplies they need to better care for their people." Chet responded with glistening eyes and pride in his voice. "It was Sy Macgregor's last wish and I feel privileged to be able to move it forward."

The station broke out in a round of applause before Captain Stanley called them back in order. "Alright then we have our assignments, Stoker my office."

Captain Stanley held his spot as Mike walked past him toward the office, At least he was able to walk strait, When Mike made it to the office he followed and promptly shut the door. "Stoker I want you to turn around and look at your reflection in the window and explain to me why I shouldn't suspend you with out pay."

Mike did as he was told and cringed as he noticed that his hair was uncombed, his shirt wasn't buttoned strait and his fly was still unzipped. When he looked down at himself he also noticed that his badge was on upside down. Silently Mike proceeded to rectify his condition with out turning back to his captain.

"Mike you're the last person I would expect to show up at work in this condition, how am I supposed to trust you to drive the engine with a hang over?"

"I'm not hung over," Mike quickly defended himself, "I didn't have a single drink last night, we heard the others talking about how the punch was spiked and got all of our drinks from the water fountain. If you don't believe me you can have John and Roy draw blood right now to be tested."

"So you remember last night," Hank questioned.

"Clearly Sir."

"So what have you got to say for yourself?"

"I'm a damn fool Sir," Mike stood at attention having rebuttoned his shirt, zipped his fly and up righted his badge.

Hank was slightly confused by Mike's actions something was wrong if he wasn't hung over then what?

"From what I've heard through the grape vine you were quite good last night, really livened up the party. I didn't know you played the piano,"

"Since I was five Sir."

Hank was mentally going over the chapter on crowbars of conversation trying to find something that would get his man to open up.

"I take it that the woman with the Violin was Miss Elmer."

"Yes Sir."

"So what happened afterwards?" Hank still didn't have the answers he needed.

"I took Laura home and she got called in to work because of a major pile up on the freeway." Mike answered then threw his captain a bone, "I went home but I couldn't sleep so I finally went out on the deck to try and unwind and didn't hear my alarm go off. I was running late and hurried too fast to get dressed right that's all."

"Did you and Laura have a fight last night?" Hank probed.

"No Sir."

"Do you care to tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's personal Sir."

Hank sat back on his desk and sighed, there was clearly something going on with his second in command but he was obviously not ready to open up. Maybe once he'd had some time to get over the embarrassment of this morning he might have a better chance to get him to tell him what was going on. He was convinced that the man wasn't suffering from too much alcohol so he would give him that time then try again sometime after lunch.

"Alright Mike, your cleaning assignment is the Latrine and I'll be watching you closely, If I see anything that makes me think you can't handle this job you're out of here and will need a Dr. note to get back. Understood?"

"Understood Sir," Mike was grateful the door was opened for him, he deserved the Latrine duty, he deserved it for the rest of his life, in fact he should have to clean all of the latrines in all of the stations.

Mike made his way to his locker and added his wallet and pocket knife to his pockets then used his comb on his hair before adding it to his pocket. He was just turning to get the cleaning supplies when John walked in and handed him a small bottle of aspirin.

"You look like you could use a couple of these," John commented as Mike stared at the bottle in his hand.

"No thanks, It's taken care of." Mike hung his head in shame.

Marco tiptoed in and sat down on the bench behind Mike.

"You really had that place rocking last night, I had no idea you even played the piano let alone that you were so good," Johnny commented trying to bring Mike some relief.

"Marie told me you and Laura had the police stop by and tell you to keep the noise down but she didn't tell me how good you two are." Marco added startling Mike when he spoke.

Mike just shrugged his shoulders and made his way for the cleaning supplies.

His cleaning was interrupted by a run to investigate a smoke alarm only to find that the battery needed to be replaced. Before they were back at the station they got another call to check out a smoke alarm but when they investigated this alarm they found an ash tray with a smoldering cigar right below the smoke detector.

The crew on engine 51 made their way back to the engine and some how managed to do so with out laughing at the expense of their victims.

Mike turned the ignition on and checked his mirrors. "I guess we're on smoke alarm inspection duty today." Mike said shaking his head and Hank had hope that he was ready to open up.

When they got back to the station Mike quickly made his way back to Latrine cleaning. The solitude of the most unpopular chore at the station gave Mike time to think, He welcomed that at the moment, in fact as he started the last of the Latrine jobs he was very tempted to just start all over again when he was done. His memory went back to the little girl that thought she was going to be given away because her parents were expecting a little boy. Laura had known just what to say and what to recommend to the parents to ease the little girl into big sisterhood.

Then there was little Jessica who referred to her as 'her Aura,' and did her best to come between Laura and himself when they were at Disneyland. Mike could still see Laura holding the sleeping Jessica that evening; she looked so natural she'll be a great mother. Left to be seen would be if the child would be a little girl like Jessica or a little boy.

With a deep sigh and a look in the mirror he was cleaning Mike realized one thing, no mater boy or girl Mike wanted the child. His mother would be disappointed in him for jumping the gun but she would be happy for him and would love the child no matter how soon it arrives after the wedding.

As Mike started the second half of the mirror he caught the reflection of Chet coming in to his locker. "Hey Mike have you seen Laura today?"

"Not since I took her home after the dance last night. Why?"

"Dan was just telling me that she got caught in an explosion on the freeway early this morning and I was wondering if she was going to be able to make it to the business luncheon today." Chet talked as he pulled his dress uniform jacket out of his locker and hanging it on the door before he began tying his tie using the mirror.

"Did Dan say anything else?" Mike asked with a panicked look on his face.

"He was at the other end of the pile up he didn't see what happened to her."

Before Chet was finished with his statement Mike was out of the room running into the common room pulling change out of his pocket. Dropping a dime in the phone he quickly dialed the hospital ER and listened to the rings.

"Rampart Emergency Nurse McCall speaking."

"Dix, is Laura there?"

"Mike, no she just left she needed to get a shower and change her clothes before some big meeting she has," Dixie explained. "Oh that, she's fine she just got a few bruises, we've watched her since she came in from the scene she's doing fine." "No we didn't take any x-rays there was not need to."

Mike finally hung up the phone and let out a sigh of relief. As he turned around he noticed Chet in the doorway turning his collar down over the tie he had just tied before slipping his jacket on and buttoning it up.

"Is she going to be there?" Chet asked.

"She's on her way, Dix said she just got a few bruises this morning," Mike answered.

"That's great," Chet's replacement Dan Atkins called. "Cuz when that tanker blew she took flight."

"What was she doing at the scene?" Captain Stanley inquired.

"She flew in with the chopper," Dan explained, "And once she got there she was as involved in getting people out and treated as the rest of us. She is something else when it comes to triage you should see her. She's not the type to worry about breaking a nail or burning her fingers that one."

"She's been in some situations that would make that pile up this morning look like a walk in the park." Captain Stanley brought the conversation to an end noticing the disturbing look on Mike's face.

Chet ran out the door promising to be back in a couple of hours and his replacement started pulling out the ingredients for lunch.

With his cleaning chores done Mike turned his attention to the Engine and started polishing the gages and cleaning the dirt out of the threads of the hose connections. Captain Stanley came out with two plates each containing a sandwich and some carrot sticks and potato chips.

Mike knew if he didn't set down and eat his captain would make it an order and he knew why he needed to eat something so before he was ordered to do so Mike sat on the running board and accepted his Lunch.

"Thanks," Mike offered still sporting a shamed expression, "Sorry I let you down this morning."

"We all have a bad day now and then," Hank responded before taking a bite of his sandwich. "Ready to talk about it?" he asked his mouth still full.

Mike knew exactly what he was doing he had been reading the book too lately especially the chapters on communication. "Like I said earlier, it's personal."

They finished their sandwiches in silence and Mike did feel a little better having eaten something, when they were done Mike silently took his and his captain's plates into the kitchen and did what he could to help clean up. Hank followed his second in command as far as the door way and watched, clearly Mike wasn't as ready to open up as he had hoped but he was functioning sufficiently to stay on duty.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up Hank handed out safety inspection assignments and the crew was just headed for their units when the tones sounded.

**Station 51, respond to a restaurant fire at 1042 Wilmington Avenue, 1042 Wilmington avenue report to police officer in charge on arrival.**

Mike was ready to pull out when the captain climbed into his seat, "Sounds like we could be in for a rough one," Mike responded before he turned his total attention to the traffic and getting to the scene as fast as was safely possible.

While enroute dispatch relayed a message from the police at the scene advising them to approach from the south and none code R so Mike cut the sirens and followed the squad around the block and stopped at the corner when they saw several police cars with police men ducking behind them. Captain Stanley got out and keeping low met the police officer coming toward him.

"We have a fire in the kitchen and some guy shooting off live rounds in there. There are a bunch of patrons holed up in the double door entry way I was hoping you could put up a fire screen to help us get them out of there." The police officer requested as soon as he was with in hearing range. "As long as your men don't go past that last pillar they should be out of sight of the gunman."

"Give us three minutes." Cap responded and off he went to get his men in action.

Mike had everything going in record time and in less than two minutes Marco and Dan were in position to put up a fog to screen the escape of those in the entryway. The order was given and the fog went up but before John and Roy could get in to help the people out they were coming at them. Directing the frightened people to safety the men were shocked to see the last person out was Chet Kelly, He had his dress coat around the shoulders of a woman and was guiding her to the paramedics while holding a bloodied napkin to her head.

"Where's Cap?" Chet called as soon as Johnny took over the care of the woman he was helping. "Never mind I see him."

Chet hurried over to the helmet with the white strip, he was helping wrap blankets around the frightened escapees huddled around the fire engine as a police officer was asking how many more people were in there.

"There's three or four cooks in the kitchen I think they were headed for the back door, the fire is on the stove but I think if you turn the gas off it will go a long way in cutting the flames," Chet spoke up.

"Chet!" Captain Stanley acknowledged his man, "Were you in there?"

"Yeah," Chet responded, "That's where our meeting was."

Mike turned around at the sound of his shift mates name then hurried to his side. "Is Laura still in there?"

Chet sadly nod his head and gave a big gulp, "She's talking to the gunman trying to get him to surrender. She knows him. I think it's the CEO of that rescue organization she used to work for but I'm not sure."

Roy was now at Chet's side looking over a slight cut on his head and checking out the blood on his shirt and arm.

"Is Laura alright?" Mike asked.

Chet still trying to catch his breath and composure reluctantly shook his head, "She's been shot, , twice in the stomach."

"Where in the stomach?" Roy questioned showing some of the concern Mike was feeling.

"There's blood on her clothes here and here," Chet pointed to his own stomach to show the location and Cap instructed Marco to take Chet over to the squad before turning to his friend that he knew was no longer able to be his second in command until he knew his girlfriend was safe.

"I'm going to get Rampart on the line and give them a heads up." Roy informed before heading toward the squad but before he could get out of reach Mike took hold of his arm to stop him.

"She- she's pregnant," Mike spit out, he knew they needed to know to be able to give her the best of care.

"How far along?" Roy asked with a surprised look on his face.

It wasn't hard to tell when conception took place but Mike needed a minute to count back and figure out a time, "About two and a half months." He responded breathing heavy and soon he felt hands on both of his arms pulling him back toward the engine and sitting him down on the running board. There was nothing he could do but wait, the greatest hell he could imagine.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

A quick bandage job and Chet was asked to sit with Mike, he had over heard that Laura was pregnant when Roy called into Rampart to give them a heads up. The cooks had been able to get out the back door opening up a way in for the SWAT team to enter in and the police had managed to shut off the gas. Captain Stanley now had a pretty good idea what had been bothering his friend all day and why he hadn't been willing to talk about it.

The rest of the people that had been in the restaurant at the time the gunman started taking shots were loaded on a bus and transported to Rampart for a quick checking over. There were a couple of people who were going to need a few stitches from hitting their head on their table trying to get under it, but all in all everyone was just shook up.

Mike tried to get up and get a closer look at what was going on a couple of times but each time Chet pulled him back down. He was able to keep him sitting better once he turned his attention to the police radio in the car next to them and they soon heard that they were going to make a move on the gunman and wanted the fire department ready to come in and put the fire out. Mike rose from the running board again and this time turned toward the engine valves. Chet figured it was okay to let him do his job it made it easier to wait if he was doing something. When the call came to move in Mike charged the hoses with his usual proficiency even if he was on automatic pilot.

It was the police that brought out the last two people as the firemen moved in with their hoses. The fire was out before Laura and the handcuffed gunman made it to the corner. Roy was quick to relieve the police of Laura's guidance and she immediately started barking out orders.

"He's taken 15 seconal in the last 24 hours, I suggest that you put him in restraints first then start an IV with Saline and administer one ampoule of Narcan. Make sure Rampart has a psychiatrist on hand when he gets there."

"Johnny will take care of him let's get you taken care of." Roy insisted as Captain Stanley came up to Laura's other side and took hold of her other arm and helped to guide her to the treatment blanket.

"I'm fine really this is just raspberry syrup splatters. I got it when he shot up a bottle of raspberry syrup on they put on the table to pour on the cheese cake." Laura explained but she was clearly shaken and shaking.

Roy confirmed the raspberry syrup and Captain Stanley took a tighter hold on Laura, "I know someone who needs to see you."

Mike heard the order to shut down and as soon as he turned the water pressure off he turned around and was surprised to see Laura in the hands of his captain.

Mike reached out to give Laura a hug but she tried to stop him, "Careful or you'll get raspberry syrup all over your uniform."

Mike didn't hold back, he pulled Laura into his arms and lifted her off her feet. Laura gave in and wrapped her arms around Mike's chest and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm alright," She cooed, "I'm just fine."

The staff at Rampart were relieved to hear that they were dealing with raspberry syrup splatters instead of gun shot wounds but still insisted on Laura being brought in to be checked out anyway.

Mike held her in his lap while they gathered vitals counting her pulse and respirations himself. Everything was quite high but that was to be expected under the circumstances.

Laura felt it would be best if she rode in the cab of the ambulance to keep from agitating the patient and Mike carried her and placed her in the seat buckling her seatbelt for her. "I'm fine," she repeated for the hundredth time. After a quick kiss, on the lips, Mike shut the door and allowed the ambulance to drive off.

Captain Stanley wanted Chet looked over good before he returned to duty, so he was sent in the squad with Johnny. Now that the crisis was over Chet could feel himself start to unravel a little and started to babble as Johnny drove. John knew he needed to talk and just let him chatter.

"That guy was after Laura the whole time," Chet said for the third time, "He kept saying that she destroyed his father's dream and was responsible for the death of all the rescue workers. She just stood and faced him telling me to get everyone else out. He claimed he owned her at one point. I'm sorry I got you all excited about gun shot wounds when it was just raspberry syrup splatters."

"That's alright Chet from a distance it looked like gun shot wounds to me too, Roy had to look at her clothes to see that there wasn't any holes before he was sure. I for one would rather be geared up for gun shot wounds and find out it's raspberry syrup splatters than the other way around." John then reached over and rests his hand on Chet's trembling arm. "You did real good in there I wouldn't be surprised if you got a commendation for your actions."

"Thanks man, boy it was sure hard to leave Laura behind though," Chet continued to let out his anxieties. "So I guess Mikey's going to be a daddy."

"So it would seem," John responded, "no wonder he's been in another world all day."

"I know it's stupid but I just didn't think Mike was the type," Chet was shaking his head and starting to calm down thanks to the change of subject.

"He's a man isn't he?" Johnny responded focusing on the road, "and Laura is a woman. What more do you need to understand."

00000

Back at the scene Hank watched his engineer closely as he helped to bring in the hoses and when they were ready to leave he stepped in front of Mike and gave him an examining look as Marco and Dan climbed in to their places. Mike swallowed hard and Hank broke the silence.

"Are you alright or do I need to drive?"

Mike nod his head then finally found his voice, "I'm okay Cap,"

Hank nod his head with a hint of a smile, "You did handle the pumps alright in the heat of things. Get us back to the barn."

Once the engine was backed into the bay Mike was slow to get out of the cab and when he started to shut the door he found his captain leaning against the engine behind it. Mike sighed and latched the truck door, when he turns back to his captain he saw him jerking his head in the direction of the office. With slumped shoulders Mike trudged his way in that direction and Cap followed.

In the office the door was shut and Mike was silently directed to a chair as Hank Stanley friend and Captain took another seat and achieved the most relaxed posture possible.

Mike leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, his head hung down.

"I take it that you're the father of Laura's unborn child," Hank finally broke the silence once he was sure Mike wasn't going to talk on his own.

Mike didn't look up but managed to nod in the affirmative.

As the silence lingered Hank stopped himself before saying, '_well if your going to dance you have to pay the fiddler_, or something like _don't you know better_?' He even took a deep breath and thought better of asking, "_how did it happen_?' He was considering a lecture on the birds and the bees and taking precautions when Mike finally spoke.

"We only slept together once."

Hank nod his head and leaned forward bringing his head closer to Mike's before softly replying, "That's all it takes."

Mike looked up just enough to look his captain eye to eye then nod his head, "Yeah," and returned his gaze to the floor between his feet.

"That explains how you were able to figure out how far along she is." Hank commented, "By my recollection that puts your fateful night about the time Laura's former crew was killed in that plane crash."

Mike leaned back in his chair but kept his eyes low. A nod of his head was Hank's only response.

"What are you going to do now?"

Mike took a deep breath and looked up with the most positive gaze he'd shown since he reported for duty that morning, "Get married as soon as possible."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah, my only regret is that I didn't ask her before I knew she was pregnant. Now I don't know how I'm going to convince her that I want to marry her because I want to be with her not just because of the baby." Mike answered finally starting to open up to his friend.

"What does Laura say about all this?"

"She, a, She doesn't know I know yet." Hank listened to Mike and gave him a questioning look which was enough to get him to explain, "I found her lab results last night when I was putting her keys away while she was changing her clothes to go in to the hospital. I was too stunned to talk to her about it and she just ran out of the apartment telling me to lock up when I left."

"I'm sure she'll figure out you know before she leaves the hospital." Hank guessed, "The doctors are going to want to take steps to make sure that baby's alright especially after that explosion she was in last night. Did you have any idea she was going to be on the Choppers last night?"

Mike shook his head negatively.

"You know they're going to pull her off that duty till after the baby's born don't you?"

Mike sighed and nod his head regretfully, "that must have been why she had the test done in New Mexico. It doesn't seem fair; it took two of us to make this happen and now she has to pay the price and give up something she loves to do and I get to go on as if nothing happened." Mike stood up and walked around the room in frustration, "It's all my fault, I'm the one who ignored the expiration date on the, um, yeah those things. Why is she the only one to be punished? She was an emotional wreck that day after all she'd had to go through. If you remember most of those bodies she had to identify were buried in closed caskets, and we know why that was. They were all her friends, people she worked side by side with through thick and thin, people she trusted with her life and would give her life for."

"I'm sure she was pretty devastated. She was lucky to have you there for her." Hank understood very well what had happened, he was also male. "I know it doesn't seem fair but there is the unborn child's safety to take into account and when a woman's pregnant her body goes through a lot of changes even in the early stage that can affect her ability to do this kind of work."

"Cap, I want this baby, I want to be a father, I know Laura will make a wonderful mother, and I want to share the rest of my life with her. I just wish I hadn't messed her life up just when she's finally getting everything together again."

00000

The ride to the hospital was eventful when the patient in the ambulance stopped breathing, something Laura was afraid of and the ambulance had to pull over while Roy inserted the airway Laura ordered through the window.

As soon as the ambulance stopped Laura was out of her seat and in the back assisting with the procedure. Once Johnny caught up with the stopped ambulance he also climbed on board while Chet stayed close outside ready to run for any supplies the Paramedics might need.

"Alright let's get him out of here." Laura called once the airway was established and they were breathing for the patient.

Johnny jumped out and shut the doors and the ambulance moved out as Roy and Laura worked together to breath for the patient while the ambulance bumped and swayed in traffic on way to the hospital.

Once the ambulance backed up to the entrance Laura was her professional self and jumped out of the back helping to unload the patient. Dr. Early lead the gurney into treatment room one as Roy followed along breathing for him with the ambue bag, Dr. Bracket managed to snag Laura by the arm as she tried to follow.

"We're ready for you in room 3 young lady," He pulled Laura in that direction.

"Dr. Morton is waiting for Chet in room 4," Dixie informed Johnny before she followed Laura and Dr. Bracket into room 3.

00000

In Treatment Room 3 Dixie was acting like the Major and ordering her patient around. Once she had her up on the table, her shirt off and a gown on, Dixie started taking a blood pressure.

"You can't possibly expect that to be down any from the one they took at the rescue scene after I've just worked a respiratory arrest can you?" Laura was being the perfectly impossible patient.

While Laura was rolling her eyes and reluctantly holding still so Dixie could get vitals Dr. Brackett walked up to the treatment table and leaned on his hands at Laura's side. "I'm rather disappointed in you for not revealing your condition especially after the incident on the free way last night.

"What condition?" Laura questioned looking at Dr. Brackett like he had three heads.

"You're pregnancy," Dr. Brackett pushed the issue.

"**Pregnancy!** What pregnancy, if there's a pregnancy I'm demanding a paternity test because who ever the father is I am not the Mother!"

00000

Chet ran for the kitchen to start dinner as soon as he arrived in the squad, he had received a clean bill of health from Dr. Morton and been told by the police that he car would be alright where it was parked until he got off duty in the morning and Johnny had already agreed to give him a ride to pick it up. Since Dan had hung around longer than he had agreed to Chet quickly invited him to stay and share in the special dinner he was preparing.

Before the bay doors closed a visitor stepped in. Hank was quick to greet her and share his relief that she hadn't been hurt.

Laura just looked at Captain Stanley and made one request. "Where is he?"


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Hank looked his visitor over. She still had the raspberry syrup spots on her shirt her sleeves were pushed up above her elbows and both anacubital areas sported cotton balls taped down, one looking very black and blue. Hank couldn't tell from her posture or her tone of voice what mood she was in. He had no question that she and Mike had a lot of talking to do, and lots to talk about.

"Last I saw him he was sitting in his truck where it was quiet so he could think." Hank replied and motioned toward the back lot with his hand. He then escorted Laura out the back door and once he was sure she and Mike would make connections he returned to the common room determined to keep everyone else away from the couple while they talked.

Laura watched as Captain Stanley returned to the building wondering if she should have shown him her negative pregnancy test results first, but she could tell by Mike's sagging head he had only done what he thought was best for her. Now she just had to figure out how he got it in his head that she was pregnant.

Mike was sitting behind the steering wheel his elbow resting on the window casing and his chin resting on his hand, when he heard the passenger door open he turned with a start and was surprised to see Laura there. As if he had heard tones Mike flew out of the cab of his truck and ran around to take Laura in his arms. After a quick hug he stepped back, "Is everything alright?"

Laura felt a little awkward as he placed his hand on her stomach; she wasn't sure what to say next. Slowly she pulled the lab slip from her shirt pocket and handed it to Mike. Before she left the hospital she had borrowed Dixie's red marker and accented the results of the pregnancy test. It was a big red circled NEG.

Mike studied the paper in confusion then his face took on a sudden disbelieving horror. "How could you!" Mike backed away from Laura maintaining the horror struck face. "That child was a living being how could you just, just, get rid of it, How could you?"

Laura was stunned at Mike's response and couldn't answer right away. Finally she stepped closer only to have him take two more steps back. "Mike I didn't, , Where did you get the idea I was pregnant in the first place?" Laura spoke pleadingly.

"I saw the lab report," Mike spoke in anger, anger directed at her, "On your coffee table while you were changing clothes after the dance."

Laura's eyes opened wide then closed again finally understanding. When she opened her eyes again Mike had walked over next to the hose tower with his back to her, he was breathing heavy. Slowly Laura walked up to him and reached out to touch his back. "Mike," he flinched at her touch and pulled his shoulder away. "Mike, the lab results you saw are three years old," Laura hurried to get out.

Laura watched closely as Mike turned an ear toward her but still didn't face her. "I needed to get a copy to process a trust fund that my ex husband left for our child. I had to prove she was conceived during the time we were married."

Slowly and hesitantly Mike turned to face Laura, his face still filled with anger but his eyes held confusion. "You have a child? When were you going to tell me?"

"I, I put her up for adoption when she was born." Laura's emotions were starting to get the best of her but with a few deep breaths she was able to keep the tears from falling, for now.

"She didn't fit into your plans so you just got rid of her," Mike spoke again in anger.

"I did what was best for her," Laura pleaded for him to understand. "When I found out I was pregnant Scott was angry, we couldn't work disaster rescue together if we had a child, He wanted me to terminate the pregnancy and I was afraid if I stayed with him he would drug me and do it with out my consent. When I got home I learned that my Marriage wasn't recognized in the United States. If I'd have kept her she would have forever been referred to as the bastard child of a half breed slut. She had no future." Tears were streaking Laura's face now as she tried to wipe them away. "Adopted she could have a mother and a father that loved her very much and would get her out of the area to someplace she would be accepted. I didn't just get rid of her; I did what was best for her."

"So you know where she is?" Mike asked his words still laced with anger.

Laura nod her head taking in several deep breaths in an attempt to stop her tears. "She's happy and healthy and loved, I did the right thing."

Mike's facial expressions softened as he added up all the information she had given him and realized that she did care for the child and had done what she felt was best. Apparently she was still looking out for the child's best interest in making sure she got the trust fund her biological father had left her.

Weather it was the tears in her eyes or the words she said he didn't know but Mike could only take her in his arms and let her sob on his shoulder as he repeatedly whispered, "I'm sorry."

Before Laura regained her composure the klaxons sounded.

Mike pulled away from Laura taking her by the shoulders. "I've got to—"

"Go," Laura finished his sentence for him. "I'll be here when you get back."

Mike raced to his engine recognizing the place they were going as a salvage yard where fires were quick to start. Captain Stanley hurried to his seat but was slow to shut his door. "Mike are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just a total idiot that's all." Mike responded knowing full well his captain was judging his ability to function at his full abilities while on this fire, and he turned the ignition to prompt his captain to shut the door so he could pull out behind the squad.

Because of the talking to, the salvage yard owner had received after his last fire he tried to put this one out by himself instead of calling for help and because he didn't, one have the right equipment or two have a clue what he was doing, as station 51 rolled onto the scene the fire was much bigger than they expected.

Captain Stanley called in another battalion while he was still a block away and they had their work cut out for them. The owner had to be rescued from a water truck he was using to try and extinguish the fire and several of the employees suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation Keeping John and Roy busy and kept Mike running back and forth from the engine to helping with patients. Several times while he was helping to lift patients onto a stretcher or gurney he could feel pain in his side but since he only noticed it while lifting he was sure he had just pulled a muscle.

Covered with grime and soot the fire fighters returned to the station three hours after they left and while Chet and Marco were thinking they could get showered before the paramedics got back Mike still had a conversation to finish with Laura and she had promised to wait for him.

"Chet made sure to save you some dinner," Cap informed Mike as he moved toward the back door, "Chet really out did himself this time. You didn't eat much lunch you really should try and eat something."

"Later," Mike answered once he could see that Laura's car was still behind the station. Unable to see her anywhere Mike returned inside the station.

Hank watched him standing in the doorway to the kitchen looking around and looking lost. "Dinner is in the oven," he said as he stepped forward and tried to encourage Mike closer with his hand on his back.

Mike just looked at him in confusion before turning away and heading toward the dorm.

"Have you lost something?" Hank questioned his quiet man.

"Laura," Mike answered as he started to jog toward the dorm.

Hank walked in that direction and by the time he had reached the door to the dorm Mike had made his sweep and was back. "I'm sure she's gone by now," Hank responded grabbing Mike by the arm, "we were gone well over three and a half hours."

"She said she'd wait," Mike responded pulling away from his Captain, "Her car is still here."

Sharing some of Mike's concern Hank stepped up to the garage door button and pressed it opening up the back bay door. Once the door was above eye level his first glance was to the top of the hose tower. Relieved to find the only thing there was hoses he walked with Mike toward Laura's car still holding his arm.

The first thing that he noticed was that all the windows were rolled down and from behind he could only see the top of one of the front seats. As they got closer they could see that the passenger seat was reclined and Laura was sleeping with a sweat shirt folded under her head for a pillow.

All Mike could see was her swollen red eyes and the tracks of her tears that lead down into her makeshift pillow. She had clearly cried for a while after he left. Quietly opening the driver door Mike slipped in and tenderly brushed the hair from Laura's face. As he twisted in the seat to reach her he felt the twinge in his right side but there were other things that were more important so he just ignored it and focused on Laura.

Laura responded by opening her eyes then wiping them with the back of her hand. "You're back." Laura spoke reaching up and taking a hold of Mike's hand, "Looks like it was a bad one."

Mike gave her a smile, "We've both had worse."

"Are you feeling alright there?" Hank had more urgent things on his mind.

"Yeah sure," Laura acknowledged Captain Stanley's presents. "I just go on duty at midnight and thought it would be wise to get some sleep while I was waiting for you guys to get back."

"Considering how much sleep you've had in the last three days that was a good idea," Mike thought back to her quick trip to New Mexico, then the dance where they took over for the band followed by the freeway pile up then the restaurant shoot out. No she hadn't gotten much sleep but what Mike was painfully aware of was her swollen red eyes and knowing it was the hurtful things he had said to her that caused it. Hurtful things that he couldn't have been more wrong about, he really had some apologizing to do, more than apologizing he had to find a way to make it up to her.

"How about we get you in the station where the air conditioning is working and get some fluids into you it's awfully warm in this car." Captain Stanley directed pulling the passenger door open and began to help Laura up. Before she was on her feet and noticing the stiffened bruise on her hip and shoulder Mike had climbed out of the car and was at her side. Laura turned to shut her door only to have Captain Stanley do it for her and Mike proceeded to persuasively pull her toward the station and into the common room where she was sat down on the couch.

"You know I've worked 24 7 for a solid week before I got any sack time on many occasions. I'm really just fine," Laura responded as Captain Stanley handed her a glass of ice cold Lemonade.

"Well a whole lot has changed now," Hank offered some friendly advice to a woman he didn't know wasn't pregnant yet.

"Hay Mike, the shower's available," Marco called coming into the room all cleaned up.

"Oh and Mike, I saved you some dinner it's in the oven," Chet added.

"Yeah, it was really good tonight," Marco added, "That new cook book Chet got is really transforming him into a rather decent cook."

"It's not a cook book Marco," Chet corrected indignantly, "It's a training manual for rescue working Court Jesters."

"By the way I forgot to ask," Hank Stanley just remembered why Chet had been in that shoot out earlier today. "What came of the luncheon meeting, are they going to publish the book?"

"I don't know," Chet resounded, "That guy started shooting the place up before they decided."

"They'll publish it," Laura spoke from experience, "they owe me enough favors, if they can't see the worth of it themselves I'll call a few of them in."

That was when everyone's attention was turned to the squad backing in. When it came to a stop John and Roy came into the common room and poured the last of the lemonade into glasses for themselves.

"Hey Mike did they tell you that we saved you some dinner? It's in the oven." Johnny called out having felt the warmth from the oven as he passed by and noticing the food was still inside. "It was really good tonight but don't tell Chet, it will just go to his head." Johnny then bumped shoulders with his nemesis friend and gave him a wink. They had all noticed Laura's puffy eyes and were trying to cheer her up with out letting her know they were trying to cheer her up.

"Mike will eat in a little while," Captain Stanley encouraged the rest of his men to back off. "He's making sure Laura is taken care of, we found her asleep in her car where it was nice and hot when we got back."

"Yeah those little guys sure zap the mother's energy while their growing inside," Roy spoke from experience.

Laura cringed, blushed and hung her head as she looked up at Mike through her eye lashes. Mike was blushing too.

"Um guys." Mike got their attention, "Laura's not pregnant, it was just a misunderstanding on my part, a big misunderstanding on my part."

Nearly everyone in the room was cringing as they realized Laura and Mike's embarrassment and how mad Laura must be with Mike, Chet made the most dramatic expressions on his face. It was obvious though that Mike and Laura still had some talking to do so Hank gave his head a jerk toward the door and everyone filed out and found someplace else to be.

Mike and Laura talked for some time afterward and Mike even got down on one knee and asked Laura to marry him.

Laura just tenderly held her hand to the side of Mike's face and toyed with his still soot covered hair as she looked him in the eyes, "Mike I really like you. I'm pretty sure I even love you, I want to be with you and you're really good for me, but this still feels a little too much like a shot gun proposal and I think we need to give each other a little time and get to know each other a little better before we make that move," That was Laura's answer.

00000

After Laura left to get ready for work Mike finally took his shower and since the rest of the crew were getting into their night turn outs so did Mike. His right side was growing more painful so he decided to apply some ice and hopefully with out anyone knowing.

Mike was lounging on the sofa in the day room in deep thought, an ice pack from the freezer slipped down his pants out of sight, he was too miserable to let Henry climb on his lap but he was letting him snuggle up to his left side while he rubbed his ears.

Hank wandered in under the guise of getting a glass of milk before bed but he was really checking on his engineer.

"You're up late." Hank just casually commented as he opened the fridge to get the milk and noticed Mike's untouched dinner on one of the shelves. "Need to talk?" Hank took his milk and pulled a chair from the table before sitting down in front of Mike.

"When she showed me the negative pregnancy test I accused her of having an abortion." Mike spoke with full remorse. "I followed up with several more things that were even more hurtful. I couldn't have hurt her as much if I hit her in the face with a doubled up fist."

"It looked to me like the two of you managed to smooth things over," Hank commented as he casually drank his milk. "How did you misunderstand about the pregnancy?"

"It's a long story," Mike said after a moment. "I really don't want to talk about it right now."

Hank took his cue and finished the last of his milk in one gulp before washing out his glass and setting it in the drainer.

"You best get some sleep there's no telling what the night will bring," Hank advised.

"I'll be along in a minute," Mike agreed.

"Feel free to bring Henry to bed with you if you think it will help you sleep."

The ice had helped so Mike returned the ice pack to the freezer and made his way to bed, he knew if he didn't get there soon his captain would wander back in to check on him again. If his side didn't feel better in the morning he'd ask Laura if he should have it looked at in the morning.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Mike felt like he had just gotten comfortable when the tones sounded, Trash fire in the warehouse district near the station. When they arrived they realized that it wasn't just one trash fire but 12. Some prankster or group of pranksters had driven down the alley tossing lit candles in a paper cup in each of the trash containers in the alley. Captain Stanley called in reinforcements while Engine 51 quickly set up starting with the dumpster that was surrounded by trash and the biggest risk as Mike worked the pumps and used the reel line while Cap pulled a two and a half hose to another dumpster and Chet and Marco each took a two and a half hose to two other dumpsters.

As Mike wrestled his hose and dowsed the flames he could feel the pain in his side begin to grow again. By the time the other engines arrived and they had all 12 fires out Mike was no longer able to stand up straight. When it came time to pull in the hoses Mike was grateful that Chet and Marco were eager to get back to the station and in bed and willingly pulled the heaviest share of the load with out asking questions.

At last Mike was able to back the engine into the station and pausing for a moment to get out of the cab.

"Are you alright Mike?" Captain Stanley noticed the slow movement and the slight grimace.

"Yeah I think so. Just a muscle cramp, probably from being a bundle of nerves all day," Mike answered rather frustrated with himself. Then to calm his captain's concerns he opened the door of the engine and after swinging out jumped down the last three feet. Wrong move, Mike felt a sudden intensely sharp pain in his side that doubled him over dropping him to his knees. Before he could catch his breath Marco was on the floor supporting Mike in a half upright position.

"Cap!" Marco called, "something's the matter with Mike."

"Muscle cramps hu," Captain Stanley commented as he stood next to the front fender of the engine looking down at his engineer.

"It has to be Cap, I haven't done anything to get injured," Mike defended his diagnosis.

"He's a little on the warm side Cap," Marco commented as he placed a hand on Mike's shoulder to keep him from getting up.

"Sounds like it's time we got a second opinion. Chet pull the paramedics gear and help Marco get Mike out of his turn out coat. I'll go wake John and Roy." Cap instructed on his way to the dorm.

Hank was able to wake John and Roy by simply placing a hand on their arms. "Mike's down in the bay says its just muscle cramps but he can't stand up straight and doubled over getting out of the engine, I'll stand us down and order and ambulance."

John and Roy groggily strolled out between the rigs to see Chet and Marco working together to force Mike to lay down on his folded turn out coat. He really didn't have a lot of fight in him but was complaining that it hurt too much to lay flat.

John hurried to his friend's side and slipped an arm under his knees raising them and Mike was then able to let Chet and Marco lay him down. "Okay Mike where are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt it's just a muscle cramp," Mike continued to claim.

"Alright where is this muscle cramp and how long have you had it?" Roy rephrased as John reached over and grabbed a wrist.

"He's warm Roy," John declared, "Pulse of 140, respirations 24." There was a pause as Mike tried to roll over on his side. "Come on Mike help us out here, tell us how long you've been hurting."

"My stomach's been in a knot ever since I saw the---" Mike stopped in mid sentence, "since early this morning, yesterday morning now. But it didn't start hurting till that junk yard fire and then only a little twinge once in a while when I would move sometimes. But it really started getting bad on this last run."

"So it's in your stomach?" Johnny questioned as he started to palpate.

"Lower," Mike instructed, "and on the right. Aaahhhh," Mike doubled up in agony when Johnny found the spot.

"Roy, we have extreme tenderness and rigidity in the lower right quadrant, you better pass me the thermometer."

00000

Laura was standing at the nurse's station finishing up her notes after suturing six teenagers who thought it would be fun to climb on a trampoline together and try some group stunts after dark using only glow in the dark bracelets to see by. They had all collided heads and blood was shed.

Carol picked up the call from squad 51 knowing they would have to have an idea what the nature of the emergency was before they knew if Laura could handle it of if they needed one of the doctor's. Laura's attention was drawn to the radio immediately as she finished her notes and when she heard the name Mike Stoker the pen was placed in her pocket and she was looking over Carol's shoulder at the notes she was taking.

When Roy was finished relaying information that included a temp of 102.6, Laura pushed the com button. "Is there any chance the patient is pregnant?" Carol gave her a strange look but noticed the grin on her face.

00000

Back at the station Mike was rolling on the floor in agony arms folded across his stomach, "Don't make me laugh it hurts."

"The comic routine is bringing about increased pain," Roy responded to Laura's question that he wasn't sure he thought was funny.

"In that case, does the patient still have his appendix?" was Laura's next question.

Roy paused to look at Mike for the answer, Mike was still rolled up on his side but the question had brought a stunned look to his face as he lifted his eyes to meet Roy's.

"Yeah, why do I get the feeling that's about to change?" Mike responded nearly melting into the floor at the thought that could be the explanation.

"Probably because you know as well as the rest of us that it's more than just stomach cramps," Cap responded to his Man's question.

By the time the ordered IV was started the ambulance arrived and Mike was stopped from trying to get up and climb on the gurney himself and was instead lifted.

It took Dr. Morton about five minutes to come to the same conclusion Laura did and Mike was rushed to surgery. When Dr. Morton stepped out of the operating room he was met by two slightly amused, slightly worried paramedics still wearing their night gear.

"Well guy's it's a good thing your captain woke you up on this one. That appendix burst in the specimen jar while we were screwing on the lid."

John and Roy waited around till Mike was rolled out of recovery. He was laying on his side and very groggy as Laura walked along side of him holding his hand. They helped slide him into his bed and gained his attention with a squeeze of his shoulder.

"Cap said he'll come by and check on you after the shift is over and that he's called your mom she'll be here in a few hours, he was sure to tell her that you're going to be all right."

"Thanks," Mike managed to get out but he couldn't bring his eyes to open.

"We'll let you sleep now and I'll be back to check on you before I go home." Laura smiled and smoothed the blankets around him before motioning for the two paramedics to leave with her.

After Laura was relieved of duty she stopped in to teach Mike about holding a pillow over his incision when he coughed and spoon fed him half of his jello and soup broth before Captain Stanley and Mike's Mother walked in together.

"Well now that you've got someone else to see to it that you eat something I'll go," Laura was quick to say good-bye with a wink, "I'll check in on you when I come back on shift at six." She said and then was gone.

"My, that's one pretty nurse," Mike's mother commented with a twinkle in her eye, "I sure hope you were wearing clean underwear when they brought you in last night."

Mike scoffed then doubled up and rolled onto his side. "Don't make me laugh, mom, please don't make me laugh."

Mike dozed off and on through out the morning while his mother sat close by knitting, for lunch he was allowed to eat real food or at least as close to it as the hospital kitchen could make. When Chet and Marco came by to visit in the afternoon they were able to help steady him while he walked around the nurses station. By noon the next day Mike's Mom was driving him back to his apartment.

Elaine Stoker's intentions was to let her son have a nap while she packed his suitcase and gathered his laundry then she planned to take him home with her for a few days.

When they arrived at the apartment building Mike opened his door and got out of the car, he was still unable to stand up straight but he was doing his best. Mom hurried around and stepped up to his side placing her arm around her much taller son's waist as she rested his hand around her shoulder. On the way to the apartment Mike introduced his mother to no less than five young women whom his mother thought were very attractive and she began having second thoughts about taking him home. After all if he were at his apartment they might be inclined to take care of him and she just might get a daughter-in-law out of the deal.

Once in the apartment she found the place clean which was no surprise her son was good at house cleaning, a laundry basket filled with newly cleaned and folded clothes on the sofa and an electronic piano against the wall where the TV had once been.

"You bought a piano?" Mike's Mom was surprised.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it for a long time I just finally did it one day." Mike answered as he made his way to the kitchen to get a drink.

"Do you actually play it?" Mom wondered if the piano was more than just a dust collector.

"Yeah, it really helps me unwind after a rough shift." Mike smiled at his mom as he leaned against the counter. "When I got all that information about when Dad died, that lady that was helping us deal with everything got me started listening to music again. It really helps." Mike shrugged his shoulders and pulled a prescription bottle from his pocket and took a couple of pills before he washed them down with the rest of the water in his glass.

Mike wasn't willing to go home with his Mom, he knew doing so would be easier on her but he still had to make it up to Laura for all the hurtful things he'd said to her. There was so much they needed to talk about and he couldn't do that and go home with his mother. Nor was he quite ready to tell his mother about Laura.

Mike's Mom walked in to the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator to see what was available to fix for lunch and found several personal sized casseroles on the top shelf with a note resting on top of them.

"I see you're taken care of," Elaine commented and she pulled her head out of the refrigerator waving the note for her son. "You don't have a roommate I should know about do you?"

"No Mom," Mike was red faced and grabbed the note from his mom's hand before she read it. "She lives down the hall."

Mike's mom's face lit up like a Christmas tree as she very happily wrapped her arm around her son's waist again and tried to pull him toward the sofa. Mike could have easily resisted her efforts and did at first but then decided he'd better sit down anyway.

Once they were both seated on the couch Mom turned to face her son and it was clear she was waiting for all the juicy details but Mike just blushed and quietly read his note. Once Mike was finished with the note he folded it up and glanced at his mom out of the corner of his eye still grinning and enjoying the torment he was causing her.

"Come on tell me about her." His mom pleaded, "When do I get to meet her?"

"I don't know the last time I introduced you to a girl you started ringing wedding bells and I'd only known her for two days." Mike teased back, "And Sarah was worse than you were."

"Oh come on, I'll behave myself," Mike's mom continued to beg.

Mike chuckled and shook his head, "It say's here that she's working until midnight so It will probably have to be another time."

"Well maybe I just better hang around here to make sure she doesn't sneak in here in the middle of the night and steal your dirty laundry."

"Is this like us kids trying to wait up to see Santa?" Mike continued to tease.

After lunch Mike was feeling a little sleepy so his mom coaxed him into laying down on the bed and sat next to him knitting while they watched TV. As Mike dozed he thought of Laura and all that she said then suddenly it hit him as if he had been slapped up the side of his head. He had met Laura's biological daughter, He knew who she was.

Author's Challenge: let me know if I've done this right, you've met Laura's biological daughter in an earlier chapter tell me if you know who it is.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Son, are you alright," Mike's Mom had her hands tenderly brushing the hair away from the side of his face when he woke with a start.

"Yeah, I just need to go to the bathroom." Mike thought quick and he hurried as fast as he could to get there and shut the door so he could think. He did need to go so that helped.

When he came out of the bathroom Mike took his mother by the hand and led her to the sofa. "Mom, I know you want to take me home with you and take care of me for a few days. And I know it's just what moms do. But I have some thing I need to take care of and I need to be here to do it." Mike just laid it out on the line. "See I said some things to a special person that were based on wrong assumptions that I jumped to. And I really need to make it up to her."

"Are we talking about the person down the hall who filled your fridge and did your laundry?" Mom asked studying her son's face very carefully.

"Yeah," Mike admitted.

"I'm guessing that you're really in love with this one." Mom reveled the results of her astute examination.

Mike just gave his mother a sheepish look and nod his head. "Hook, line and sinker, mom," he finally admitted.

"Do you think this one can handle being a fireman's wife?"

"I thought you said you could behave yourself," Mike exclaimed with a teasing smile to which his mother slapped his shoulder. "Well I think it's a little early for that but yeah, she can handle it, she's one of us."

"She's a firefighter?" Mike's mom was stunned.

"Among other things, she's worked the kinds of rescues I've only had night mares about," Mike admitted. "She knows how we think and what makes us tick."

The two sat silently sharing cheesy grins then Mike sobered and spoke again. "I really need to make up for the things I said. Do you understand Mom?"

Elaine's eyes were filling up and all she could do was nod her head. "Does she know you were married before?"

Mike nod his head, "She was too, her marriage didn't last as long as mine did."

"Did her's fall apart for the same reasons yours did?"

"I'm not exactly sure, I know she didn't trust him and that's why she left." Mike was enjoying this conversation with his mother and welcomed her insight. The two talked for the rest of the evening and Mike was able to tell his mother a lot about Laura with out reveling that she had met her once before. Then when she felt Mike needed to go to bed Elaine decided she could go home with out her son since he said it would be alright to call him every morning.

00000

At Rampart's emergency department things were hopping, an apartment fire, a multi car pile up and the victims of a concert brawl had them swamped with every room full and gurneys lining the hall. Laura's midnight end of shift came and went but she didn't.

Some where around four a.m. she had just spent an hour and a half in one treatment room filled with four patients all needing sutures and lots of them after being cut up by broken bottles. The police officers and orderlies from another floor were amazed at her style of suturing and so were the patients. She had just finished her abbreviated charting and stepped into the hall when an over dose patient who was hallucinating managed to get away from those holding him down and gain control of the syringe filled with the sedative they were trying to give him. Laura tried to talk to him and was moving slowly forward as others were trying to move in behind unnoticed. When the patient was tackled from behind the syringe in his hand was thrust forward into Laura's side and the plunger depressed.

"Man the strait jacket full restraints ahead," Laura shook her head as she leaned against the wall and eased herself to the floor feeling the effects of the sedative. Dr. Early managed to step up to the patient and inject him with a sedative and while the orderlies and nurses were getting him into restraints Dr. Early knelt at Laura's side and checked her pulse and the injection site.

"Get her into Dr. Brackett's office, she'll be alright she just needs to sleep it off." Dr. Early instructed and then moved on to the next patient. He had been out with the flu when Laura had displayed her reaction to sedatives on her last inpatient visit at Rampart so he didn't know any better.

Dr. Early followed the two orderlies who carried Laura in to the office and after placing a pillow under her head he covered her with a nice warm blanket then turned out the lights and shut the door.

When the night shift nurse heard the wake up tones on the scanner she followed Dr. Early's instructions and called station 51 to see if Laura's boyfriend, someone named Mike, could come take Laura home when he was off shift. It was Captain Stanley who answered the phone.

"I'm sorry Miss but Mike Stoker is out on sick leave for a couple of weeks, is there anything I can do to help you?" "Yes we all know Miss Elmer," "She what!" "Look Miss, Laura Elmer has sever and adverse reactions to sedatives, I don't know what kind exactly but she goes kind of crazy, you better call Dr. Brackett he can explain it to you better."

00000

At the hospital the nurse snagged Dr. Early as he stopped by to deliver some charts and told him what Captain Stanley had said. He quickly took the phone and asked. "What's this about an adverse reaction to sedatives?"

After talking with Hank for a moment and getting details about the incident where Laura climbed out on the ledge at Rampart Joe Early decided to go to Kell's office and check on his patient before giving his friend a call. When he reached the office he found the door half opened and once inside he saw blanket, pillow but no Laura. Security was quickly called and then Joe dialed Kelly Brackett.

Forty minutes later Dr. Brackett raced in to the emergency room followed moments later by John and Roy helping Mike along in his sweat pants and oversized t-shirt; Captain Stanley had sent them to get him from his apartment to see if he could be of help in locating Laura.

"Security is still checking every room we haven't found her yet," Joe Early reported. "Do you have any idea where she might have gone?"

"Have you checked all the ledges around the hospital?" Mike asked as John and Roy helped him ease into a chair while he held a hand over his incision.

"After talking to Captain Stanley that's the first thing we've checked they've also checked the upper levels of the parking structure. We found her car but no sign of her."

"When ever she's having trouble thinking things through she tries to get in high places. The more confused she is the higher she tries to get."

"Has she found some places in the area she likes to go?" Kell asked, he was aware that finding places and activities to unwind were on the top of Laura's to do list when she started at the hospital and that she wasn't finding it as easy to do as she had hoped.

"There are two trees in the park near our apartment building where she runs that she'll climb and she has permission to climb the radio tower at fire headquarters," Mike informed, "but I don't think she would walk to any of those if she's drugged and not able to think straight. She'd probably look for someplace closer."

"She's been to the top of that office building under construction about two blocks over a lot the last few weeks." Dixie walked up to the group pinning her hair up and her nurses hat in place as she walked, "has any one checked there?"

"We're on it," said Johnny as he slapped Roy on the arm and made a move toward the door.

Mike leaned forward to push himself up but Roy pushed him back down, "you mind keeping an eye on him for us."

Dixie placed her hand on Mike's shoulder in place of Roy's and gave Mike a look that got the message across that he wasn't going anywhere.

John and Roy managed to talk with the foreman and the construction crew was helping them search the construction sight focusing on the top floors. They found nothing. When the two paramedics returned to the squad it was past the time they were to be off shift so they decided to return to the station then drive their cars back to Rampart to help with the search. They were a block away from the office building under construction when they saw Laura's blue convertible parked at the side of the and Mike Stoker getting out of the driver's side. Roy just looked at Johnny and shook his head before pulling over and parking behind the car. The two men got out of the squad and walked toward Mike who was standing at the side of the car looking up.

"So you have a set of keys to her car hum?" Johnny started the conversation.

"I know where she keeps her spare." Mike answered with out turning his gaze in their direction, "She's up there," Mike pointed to the top of a construction crane towering high above the building John and Roy had just helped search. "The more confused she is the higher she needs to climb, its how she finds peace, how can you be more confused than when you're drugged?"

"I don't think so Mike," Roy questioned, "They have all kinds of security around those things."

"I can feel it Roy, she's up there," Mike held firm on his assumption.

Just then a police car drove up and rolled down the window. "Captain Stanley's wondering when you guys are going to bring the squad back."

"Hey Vince to you have any binoculars?" Roy stepped up to the police car.

"No why do you ask?"

"Mike here seems to think our missing Medex is on top of that crane," Roy explained.

"Not very likely but we have a helicopter involved in the search let's see if we can get them to do a fly over," Vince suggested. "I don't think there's much of a chance she's up there though. Let me go see if the foreman's in the office."

Moments later Vince came back with a man in construction clothing and a hard hat at his side. "Men there ain't not chance there's any one up on that crane. We have a security guard that works nights and we always lock the lift in the top position when the workers go home for the night and I'm the only one that has a key."

Mike never wavered in his belief that that's were Laura would have gone.

The five men watched as the helicopter flew over and listened to the radio for their report. "There is a woman on top of the lift basket she appears to be unconscious; she's laying face down with one arm dangling off the side of the basket. You're not going to be able to just lower the basket or her arm will get cot in the frame work going down."

"10-4 copter 3" Vince acknowledged as John ran for the squad to get his safety belt on while Roy ran for the radio to call in to dispatch for an engine to join them at the sight knowing the crane was far too high to use the ladder truck or the snorkel. The response that came back over the radio informed them that engine 51 was already on the way to their location and they were able to hear the sirens start up in the distance.

Mike did some calculating in his head and stepped up to the police car, "could you let me talk to her over the copter's PA system?"

"Are you sure you want to do that? If she rolls the wrong way she could fall off of that thing and I don't think I need to tell you that she won't survive the fall," Vince cautioned the off duty fireman leaning on his car.

Mike thought about what he was being told, he had figured out that the drugs in her system should be wearing off and was thinking about talking to her and trying to get her to move her arm so they could lower the lift basket but what Vince said made sense, she could just as easily roll in the wrong direction and fall to her death.

"What I want to know," Vince got Mike's attention, "Is how she got up there."

"She probably climbed up the outside structure," Mike answered with out hesitation.

"In a drugged stupor?" Vince questioned.

"It's like sleep walking," Mike explained, "once we get her down and wake her up she probably won't remember anything about it."

"If you say so."

When the engine arrived on scene there were three men hanging on the back grab bar, John and Roy's replacements and Captain Stanley. Mike looked over at John pointing to the top of the crane and the two captain's eyes following his finger.

Mike turned his attention back to the top of the crane and could now see her hand hanging down the side of the basket, It lay motionless but swaying slightly in the breeze. As long as there was no sudden movement he knew she was asleep and as long as she stayed asleep she would be alright.

"Come on Mike let's set you down," He heard and felt a hand take hold of his arm. He turned to see Captain Stanley pulling him toward the engine.

"Can we use the copter to get up there?" Mike asked as he followed his leader but kept his eyes fixed on the top of the crane.

"That's an idea," Hank responded, "As soon as your sitting down we'll get together and talk about it."

As Hank and the other captain talked with the four paramedics, Vince and the foreman, a car pulled up and Chet and Marco climbed out still in uniform and hurried to their captain's side. While they were talking Mike moved from the fire engine to the hood of Laura's car where he could see her hand and soon found Chet and Marco on either side of him trying to distract him.

Mike noticed the police helicopter landing in a nearby parking lot and Johnny was running in a bent over fashion with a length of rope around his shoulders and an extra safety belt hooked to his own. Mike watched as the helicopter took off and felt hands on both of his shoulders as he watched it come close to the top of the crane. As the copter was hovering close enough for John to step out and onto the top of the structure he saw Laura's hand disappear and lurched in the direction of the police car. "I've got to talk to her she's waking up!"

Hank Stanley gave a nod on his head and Vince reached through his open window grabbing the microphone and handing it to Mike.

"Laura, don't move," Mike called out in the most calming voice he could manufacture, "Just stay still Laura someone's coming to get you." Mike then stretched the cord of the mic as far as he could and then stretched his head a little farther as he strained his eyes to see the outline of Laura's body through the steel grids. Everyone else was watching Johnny climb down from the top of the crane to where Laura was.

Hank was relieved by the fact that John had slowed in his decent feeling that Laura must be holding still and John didn't feel the need to hurry.

John had been surprised by Mike's voice over the intercom and looked down to see Laura had pulled her hand up from it's dangling position, she was now feeling the texture of the metal grating she was lying on but otherwise not moving.

When John had reached her side the first thing he did was check a pulse at the same time he hooked his safety belt on to a solid support. He then carefully rolled Laura over on her back and found that she was able to help him.

"Hi there," he responded to the greenish brown eyes that looked back at him. She had pressure marks on one side of her face matching the grid of the lift cage and a few scraps and blisters on her hands that he could see but he was sure she would be fine.

"I take it they didn't follow my instructions for restraints," Laura spoke to him.

"Not this time but I promise they will next time" John gave one of his crocked smiles. After making sure there were no fractures John lifted Laura down through the maintenance hatch of the cage and before he could drop down himself Laura had pulled herself into the corner her knees up against her chest and her arms around her legs her head resting on her knees.

As soon as the copter confirmed that John and Laura were in the cage the foreman inserted the key and started the cage traveling down. Before it reached the ground Laura's hands loosened around her legs and fell gently to the floor of the cage, her head remained resting on her knees. When the cage reached the ground and the door opened, Captain Stanley and Roy were standing there watching John holding Laura's wrist.

"Pulse is good she just went back to sleep." John shook his head then started shaking Laura's shoulder. "Come on Laura it's time to wake up and smell the coffee."

"Don drin coffee," Laura mumbled and adjusted her head.

John and Roy smiled and shook their heads together as Roy stepped up to Laura's other side. "Upsy daisy let's get you back to the hospital."

"Kay, don wan a be late for work," Laura mumbled again as Roy and Johnny pulled her to her feet and held on to her as she half opened her eyes and walked in the direction they were guiding her. They were trying to decide weather to load her on the back of the fire engine of set her up in the middle seat of the squad when Mike pushed two firemen out of his way and stepped forward taking Laura in his arms.

After a quick hug Laura groggily pushed back away form Mike, Roy and John still holding on to each of her arms. "Not so fast there bucko you just had your appendix out," She touched his chest with her outstretched finger.

Roy and John continued to guide Laura as Hank took a good hold of Mike's arm and led him to Laura's car. Both Mike and Laura were put in the back seat and Hank drove to the hospital while Roy radioed ahead to let them know they were coming.

At the hospital orderlies and nurses were waiting and worked together to lift Laura onto a stretcher and rolled her into a treatment room to be checked out. Mike jumped out of the car and tried to follow her but Hank took him by the arm and nearly drug him toward the nearest pay phone.

"Call your mother, you weren't home when she called to check on you this morning and she's worried." Hank instructed as he dropped a dime in his friends hand.

Author's notes: believe it or not things are going to start wrapping up you all still have more chances to guess who Laura's daughter is. But remember Laura's not old enough for it to be one of the nurses at Rampart.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

It took Mike nearly an hour and a whole pocket of change to get his mother calmed down, by which time Laura had been examined and was told she could go just as long as there was someone to keep an eye on her until she finished sleeping off the sedative.

"Well she's not staying here," Mike declared, "they're far to busy to keep track of her if she decides to go for a climb."

Hank just chuckled and shook his head. Laura and Mike were again loaded in the back of Laura's convertible and Hank drove them home where his wife met him at the apartment building. While Emily Stanley took Laura by the arm Hank took Mike and they both pack overnight bags before they were again loaded into cars and taken to the Stanley residence and in separate rooms were put to bed.

First Hank made sure Mike took his obviously needed pain medication and provided him with an ice pack for his incision then he called Mike's mother and gave her his phone number so she could call when ever she wanted to check on him.

Mike and Laura dozed through out the day and Laura was found sleep walking twice. But she was easy to wake up enough to send back to bed. By the time the Stanley's were ready to go to bed for the night Mike and Laura had gotten all the sleep they were going to. When Hank and Emily woke up the next morning they found notes on the kitchen table saying thank you for the care but they were ready to take care of themselves now and had gone home.

When he was sure his captain and friend was awake Mike gave him a quick call to make sure they found the notes and didn't have the police out looking for them. He informed his captain that he and Laura had just finished breakfast and since Laura was told to take the day off they were planning to sit down and go through each other's photo albums and maybe play a little music. He then called his Mother and gave her Laura's phone number and talked for a while.

Mike and Laura had already spent some time going through Mike's photo albums. There were two of them that started when he graduated from the Fire academy and held the most recent pictures from the fireman's picnic. Among their pages were a few pictures that showed Mike and his first wife at social gatherings with the rest of his crew and for the first time Mike noticed that she didn't look happy long before he had become aware that things were going sour in their marriage.

Now that breakfast was over and the dishes done Mike and Laura moved to Laura's apartment where they pushed two foot stools between the sofa and the coffee table to accommodate their long legs and Laura pulled out her copious photo albums. Much of her work around the world had needed to be photo documented to earn the grants and donations that her organization survived on so she had many more pictures than Mike did. Since she was also the sole survivor of her family she had all the family photo albums that started with her parent's courtship and marriage. Although Mike knew of her Native American heritage he was both surprised and in awe of all the pictures that showed her family in the colorful ceremonial clothing that they wear. "You look more like your mother with your father's coloring," Mike observed, "while your brother looks more like your father with your mother's coloring."

Laura nod her head, "It was a lot harder on my brother being a half breed than it was for me. All I had to do was get away where no one knew who my parents were and I could easily pass for a normal pale face. Gary could never get away from his heritage. Our grandfather was a big spokesman for the purity of the Indian race and my mom was a great embarrassment to him for marrying a white man. It's funny thought my father spent most of his teenage years on an Indian reservation in the north east. He was taken in by a Methodist Minister who served on a reservation after his last foster parents and he didn't get along.

The pictures of Laura's work were fascinating but it was easy to just move through them quickly. Laura was able to point out her crew members among the local workers and was quick to tell Mike which ones had been in the plane crash just a few months ago. Mike got a good look at her first husband and noticed they had worked together after they were divorced. One particular picture caught more of Mike's attention than the others. Laura and her husband were working at an immunization clinic somewhere in Africa and Laura stood out as the palest of them all but she was covered with bruises.

"Are all these bruises from the kids kicking you when you gave them their shots?" Mike questioned as he studied the picture. Laura dropped her head in shame at his question and after a moment Mike placed his fingers under her chin and lifted her eyes to meet his. "Your husband did this to you didn't he?"

Laura leaned her head back on the sofa then slowly and with deliberately chosen words she answered. "Scott liked a rough and tumble physical relationship, he judged the quality of his foreplay by the number of bruises it left. I never liked it but I couldn't get him to understand. Being together with him was a wifely duty for me; there was no pleasure in it. He was even worse when he was drinking."

"He had trouble handling the stress of the relief missions," Mike jumped to a conclusion.

"No," Laura adjusted her position, "He thrived on the relief missions; that's what drew me to him in the first place, I was hoping he could teach me how to handle them better. It was the between times he couldn't handle. Simple immunization clinics drove him nuts; teaching children about personal hygiene was beneath him. That's when he was the most abusive." "If we'd waited to get married when we planned to I'm sure I would have changed my mind by then. We were just total opposites in a lot of ways, every way really." "The marriage was a mistake from the beginning."

Mike had heard enough and not wanting to dwell on Laura's unhappiness he set the professionally bound picture books aside and moved back to the simple scrap books. The next one he picked up started with the pictures of her Father's funeral; he was quick to turn past them. He found some mountain pictures and Laura pointed out her favorite thinking ledge. There were good pictures of the house she grew up in and the flower garden her father planned for her mother and kept it going long after she died.

"That bush there was started from the flowers that were in my mother's bridal bouquet," Laura commented. "And so were these rose bushes."

Mike really enjoyed the photo's from the camp Laura had worked at, and was surprised at how many of them featured the teddy bear he had given her. After the camp pictures were all the pictures of Carlos and his family, that little Jessica was so possessive of 'her Laura'.

Mike sat and studied the picture taken of him, Laura and Jessica at Disneyland. Mike was standing next to Laura with his arm around her shoulder while Jessica was standing between them with her back against Laura's legs and her hands trying to push Mike away. It had been fun to tease the young girl and in doing so Mike put his arm around Laura a lot more than he would have done otherwise but now he thought he had a better understanding as to why Jessica was so possessive.

"Does she know you're her birth mother?" Mike asked as if it were common knowledge.

Laura's eyes opened wide as she turned to Mike in shock. "How did you know? Did Carlos tell you?"

"I could see the family resemblance the first time I saw her. I knew she had to be a blood relative somehow. She has your eyes and your mouth." Mike continued to talk feeling no shame. "When you told me you had put your daughter up for adoption it was easy to figure out."

Laura calmed but turned moist eyes to Mike.

"I really need to know what she knows," Mike spoke again, "I don't want to say something to her that I shouldn't."

Laura shook her head in wonder then finally spoke, "she hasn't been told but the way she clings to me when I'm around and is so possessive, I often wonder if she doesn't have some idea."

"I'll have to be careful to follow your lead then," Mike responded to the new information. "Dose she always wear that stethoscope?"

"Pretty much, her parents take it off from around her neck when she goes to bed but she has to have it in bed with her," Laura answered with a watery smile. "Her mom made her some special pillow cases with pockets for it so it won't get lost while she's asleep."

"Where did she get it?" Mike asked it wasn't a common child's toy.

"When I brought Robert and Jasmine and three other orphans here from China I was accompanied on the last leg of the flight by a medical supply salesman trying to get the medical contract for the organization. Jessica was so fascinated with the display he was showing me at the airport when they came to pick me up that he gave it to her."

"Did he get the contract?" Mike asked wondering how effective he had been.

Laura shook her head no, "his company's prices were too high and they couldn't meet our distribution needs out of the country."

"Mike," Laura gained his attention then paused to think her words through carefully, "When you thought I was pregnant what were you planning to do? From what you said to me when I showed you the negative pregnancy test I gather you weren't hoping that I would have a miscarriage."

Mike smiled at Laura and reached out to take her hand; he actually wanted to answer that question. "No, not at all. When I first saw the lab report on your coffee table I was stunned, it took me a while to catch my breath and I felt a little ashamed of myself, but I never hesitated in my desire to marry you and help raise the child. My biggest regret was the fear that you would think I was only marrying you because of the baby. Before we got the call to the restaurant I was actually getting excited about being a father."

Tears began to form in Laura's eyes and unable to think of anything more to say the two of them sat quietly holding hands until the room grew dark before separating into their own apartments and going to bed.

Laura went back to work the next morning and was greeted by Dr. Brackett when she entered. He gave her a gift of a Medical Alert Bracelet reading 'adverse reactions to sedatives see wallet card'. He also gave her a wallet card detailing the needed precautions needed when sedatives were given for what ever reason. Dr. Early was quick to apologize for not following her instructions.

Mike had a long lonely day of answering the phone and quietly playing his piano once Laura got home from work the two of them went for a walk in the park and talked about their day and other things.

Four nights later Mike asked Hank to help him lift his piano and haul it to the park. Laura showed up from work about the time they had it set up again with her violin and before they were through playing around the rest of the station 51 A-shift along with dates and other friends had joined them. The police showed up as they were taking things down, they were responding to a complaint about the size of the gathering.

A week Later Mike was given the medical okay to start jogging but still had to watch how much he lifted. He started jogging with Laura in the mornings before she left for work and doing more running around while she was at work. He even stopped in at the station to visit one after noon and talked with Johnny about places he though Laura might like to visit and some education on Native Americans. the conversations continued when Mike was cleared to return to work and he and Johnny were found sitting together on the back of the fire engine often when things were quiet just talking.

Mike's first shift back was a fairly quiet one. There dumpster arson gang struck again pulling four engines out to put out the fires in 14 dumpsters. One of them spread to some gathered wooden pallets and did some significant damage to one warehouse and the material stored inside. When the kids who did it were found the consequences had definitely increased.

When Mike got home after his first shift back he found Laura's car parked in her parking stall but when he knocked on her door there was no response. He knew she was off they had plans for later that day but a quick check of her apartment, they both had keys to each other's apartments now, proved she wasn't home.

Mike thought for a moment and figured he knew where she could be found. Jogging to the park Mike walked up to a tree and after looking up into the branches began to climb.

There in the top branches sat Laura peaking out through a thinning in the foliage at a very focused view of the world around her. As Mike moved closer she found a smile for him and reached out a hand to pull him up the last way, really she just wanted to hold his hand he didn't even need the help.

"Penny for your thoughts," Mike asked once he was settled on a close by branch.

"I'm afraid with inflation the price is much higher than that," Laura teased.

Mike noticed the tears behind her smile and chose to just remain quiet and hold her hand until she was ready to talk.

"Just thinking about the meaning of Life, the universe and Everything," Laura finally responded.

Mike kept quiet still and smiled.

"So Mike Stoker, where do we go from here?" Laura's question was vague and to the point but Mike knew the answer or rather the question to answer the question.

"Laura Morningstar Elmer, Will you marry me? Will you please agree to bless my life and allow me to do the best I can to make you happy for the rest of our lives?"


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

That wasn't the response Laura was expecting but it only took one look into Mike's eyes and she knew he was serious but more importantly he was waiting for an answer.

"Are you sure you can handle being married to a rescue worker?" Laura stalled as she thought through her feelings.

"I can if you're that rescue worker," Mike responded slightly biting his lip, "I can't very well expect you to support me as a firefighter if I can't support you in the work that you do for the same reason I do what I do."

"It takes one to know one," Laura mumbled absently as she reached out tenderly and sensuously brushed her fingers along the side of Mike's face. She wanted to be with him too, to hold him and be held by him, there was only one honest answer to give.

Unable to find her voice for a moment Laura nod her head with a tearful smile then finally was able to add a soft nearly whispered, "yes."

Mike was ecstatic and leaned forward to put excited arms around Laura and give her the kiss of a life time when her heard the kind of groan that strikes fear into every fireman. Laura instantly flung her arm under Mike's arm and around his back as she took a firm hold of the tree trunk with the other arm. Mike through one of his arms around Laura's back and locked his elbow around the tree trunk just a few inches below Laura's arm and pulled his weight off of the limb Laura was sitting on at the same time. The groaning stopped.

"I don't think this limb is big enough for the two of us," Laura spoke with a moist eyed smile as she pulled Mike closer and as the two of them hung from the tree trunk like monkeys they locked lips for an intense and passionate kiss.

"Don't you think we better get down from here?" Mike regrettably commented when he heard more groaning from the tree."

"If you insist."

Some how they managed to get out of the tree and still maintain some kind of contact. Swinging like monkeys and giggling like chipmunks, Mike was the first one to set his feet on the ground before lifting Laura down and grabbing her up again twirling her around in his arms until he was dizzy. From there they ran and danced and swung each other around the park until they collapsed on the side of a hill facing the parks man made lake. As they lay their giddily holding each other and laughing a police officer approached them. The giddy couple was unable to give the officer their undivided attention and before they knew it they were being asked to submit to a breathalyzer test. This made them even more giggly and really had the police officer thinking of calling in back up but they were able to pass a field sobriety test as well as the breathalyzer test and when they assured the police officer that they weren't driving and showed him their identification they were allowed to leave the park holding hands with out hand cuffs.

Once they reached the apartment building they were still in each other's arms smiling and laughing as they reached Laura's apartment Mike playfully trapped her against her door with his body. "You know that we have to go to the jewelers now and get you a ring."

"Who says?" Laura smiled back.

"I do, I want the whole world to know you agreed to be mine," Mike smiled and moved in for a kiss.

Just then a neighbor walked by and growled. "Don't you two think you should go inside to do that?"

Mike and Laura blushed and Laura turned around in Mike's arms to open her door so they could hurry in out of the wandering eyes and judgmental tongues of the neighbors.

Once in side Mike scooped Laura up in his arms and sat down in a chair with her in his lap. Laura wrapped her arms around his neck and the two kissed then Laura got a bit serious.

"One of the things I was thinking about before you joined me this morning," Laura started and Mike gave her his full attention. "Well, I'm thinking of buying a house, someplace where I can bring my mother's piano to and play it with out the neighbors calling the cops to turn off the noise." Laura then dropped her head sheepishly, "My lease here is up in a little over two months and I'm not really wanting to renew it."

"That's okay with me as long as I get to live there too," Mike answered with a smile.

It was decided that they would go to lunch then to a jewelry store then a real estate office and Mike left to let Laura get ready only to return forty minutes later to get her.

Amazingly they found a restaurant, a jeweler, and a realtor all in the same Mall. Laura convinced Mike to hit the realtor before the jeweler. The ring Laura couldn't take her eyes off was far from the most expensive a white gold base with two diamonds and opals and it came with a matching wedding band and one for the groom. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the back seat of the realtor's car looking at houses.

Mike let Laura do most of the talking in the realtor's office and was fascinated in what she wanted. First she took a map and a compass and drew a circle around a point half way between the hospital and the fire station that represented a ten minute drive. She then listed the needs of a family room big enough for a grand piano, and at least three bedrooms and two bathrooms. No duplexes were to be even looked at. While they had been in the jeweler's the realtor had accumulated the information on eight houses that he wanted to show the couple.

The first house was a duplex. Laura and Mike didn't even get out of the car. The next one Mike noticed had some fire safety issues in it's design, they didn't go any farther than the front room. The rest held some interest but the last one was different. It had been on the market longer than the rest and needed a lot of work on the landscaping, and a good coat of paint. The windows in two of the bedrooms had been broken and even though they were now replaced the carpeting had gotten wet and was now starting to mold. The carpet would need to be replaced in those two rooms. As they walked around the back yard Mike was looking at all the work that needed to be done. The bushes were over gown and many of them dead, but when he turned to Laura and saw her gaze fixed skyward into the lofty branched of a two hundred foot tall tree he knew this was the house for them.

"This tree has been a problem for most of the perspective buyers." The realtor spoke as he watched Laura's gaze. "I assure you that I can have it removed as part of the deal if the house sits well with you other wise." It was clear that the realtor didn't know Laura.

Mike also realized that the house was only two blocks away from Roy Desoto's house and less than five miles away from the Stanley residence. He liked that.

"Could we have a moment to talk privately?" Laura asked, at which point the realtor walked into the house leaving Mike and Laura in the back yard together.

Laura looked over her shoulder to see if they were truly alone then scribbled some figures down on the paper that had the information on the home. "I have this much to go toward the down payment." Laura commented, that should go a long ways to getting the payments down close to what I'm paying for rent now." She gave one more glance to the top of the tree, "Of course I don't want the tree taken down. And I know how to landscape it so that we won't have to spend all of our days off on yard work."

"How are you with a paint brush?" Mike smiled, and Laura just grinned back at him before they walked hand in hand to make an offer on the house.

00000

When Mike arrived for work three days later he was whistling as he walked through the door. He was already wearing his uniform and had three more freshly cleaned and ready to hang in his locker. From there he quickly hurried to the pay phone in the day room and made a call. After listening to the phone ring for a while he hung up and tried another number.

"Hi Mel, How's life going?" "no I'm fine but do you know where Mom is?" "Do you know when she's going to be back?" "Last night hu, she must have gone to the store this morning then." "No nothing's wrong I was just trying to get in touch with her." "Okay, I hear someone calling you in the back ground bye now."

When Mike hung up the phone he made a pot of coffee and then grabbed a cleaning rag and started buffing up the engine. Two shifts of firemen walked by at one time or another that morning and each one took a second look at the engineer.

"You must have had a real good weekend." Johnny finally commented after he walked around the engineer twice.

"Yeah I guess so," Mike answered with a shrug of his shoulders before going back to polishing the engine.

When roll call was started Mike still had a smile on his face. Everyone else watched as Captain Stanley stepped out of his office with the clip board in hand and everyone noticed the look on his face as he looked up to his men and scanned the group. Doing a double take on his engineer he stepped forward a few steps and stood face to face with Mike.

"You didn't have a dentist appointment before work this morning did you?" the Captain asked.

"No sir." Mike snapped an answer.

"That rules out nitrous oxide." Roy commented in a near whisper that earned him a stare from his captain.

Chores were delved out and Mike quickly headed for the hose tower to take down the dry hose before washing and hanging the rest of the hose. Still smiling and still whistling. The rest of the crew finished with their assignments first and instead of offering to help Mike they all gathered in the common room asking if anyone knew what was up with Mike.

That's when they heard three quick rings of the door bell and Chet moved toward the door before he could hear that his captain got there first.

"I assure you Ma'am, he's just fine." Hank was saying as he stepped out of the office, "he's just out side hanging hose." "Chet would you go get Stoker and tell him he has company." Hank ordered as he led a very flustered Mrs. Stoker to the common room trying to calm her down with each step.

"You're sure he's alright, he's called me three times a day and left a message for the last two days and he called twice the day before that." Mike's mother spoke, "Has he had any trouble with his appendix surgery? Oh I knew I shouldn't have gone to stay with my sister for three days."

"I promise he was just fine this morning at roll call," Hank pulled a chair out and tried to encourage Mrs. Stoker to sit but she was too upset. "He'll be right in and can tell you himself why he's been calling."

"Mom!" they heard and Mrs. Stoker flew into her son's arms pulling away a moment later to look him over good. "Are you alright son?"

"I'm fine mom; do you think they would let me come to work if I wasn't?" Mike held his mother by her shoulders to calm her down.

After running her hands over her son's chest and arms Mrs. Stoker started to calm down and her breathing slowed. "If nothing's wrong then why have you called so many times the last three days?"

"I just had something to tell you," Mike smiled still holding his mother's shoulders.

"What could be so important to call me three times a day?" Mrs. Stoker was truly confused.

Mike took a deep breath and his smile grew even larger than it had been all day. "Mom; I'm getting married."

"You're what?" Elaine Stoker's exclaim was drown out by the cheers from the rest of the gathered crew.

"That's why you look like the cat that ate the canary," Chet piped up.

"Congratulations pal." Cap clapped his hand on Mike's back.

"Hey way to go," Marco added.

Roy and Johnny shared Mike's smile and reached out to shake his hand in congratulations.

"You mean you haven't told your friends yet?" Elaine asked in total disbelief.

"Well of course not, not before I tell my Mom," Mike assured.

Mike's mom looked in his eyes and studied his face, "Is this the same girl we talked about after you had your appendix out."

Mike just nod his head still smiling and his mother through her arms around his chest in joy.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Well I guess it was a good thing I didn't make you go home with me then." Elaine Stoker spoke through her happy tears. "When do I get to meet this girl?"

The tones started as Mike kept his arm around his Mother's shoulders and listened to the call.

**Station 51 traffic accident with injuries at the corner of Mulholland and Pine. At the corner of Mulholland and Pine.**

Mike bent down and gave his mother a quick kiss on her forehead. "I've got to go. Hang around and when I get back I'll call and arrange for the two of you to have lunch together after she gets off shift." Mike then raced for his spot in the engine leaving his mother with tears in her eyes and the biggest smile on her face he'd seen in a long time.

They were two blocks away when they knew they had their hands full as two cars were both in flames. As they pulled to a stop they were relieved to see that the victims of a low speed head on collision had been pulled from their cars and were waiting under a tree in a neighboring yard for the paramedics to look them over. Kelly made the hydrant hookup while Cap and Lopez quickly grabbed a two and a half inch hose and worked together to get the fire under control. Mike charged the hose and set up the foam dispenser and when Chet was finished with the hydrant and joined Mike wrestling the device. All four firefighters ducked when the gas tank of the closest car blew but even though Mike felt a slight sting on his neck he stood up and went back to work.

With the team effort the fire was suppressed and Mike moved over to the engine to shut the water pressure down.

Hank left Kelly and Lopez to finish up as he jogged over to the paramedics to see how they were doing.

"All minor injuries Cap," Johnny reported, "We called for an ambulance it should be here in a minute."

"This is one time it was good the bystanders pulled the victims from the crash," Hank sighed.

"Yeah," Roy agreed and Hank moved back over to the engine. As soon as he walked up to his engineer he noticed blood just below his ear and stepped up he's speed. As soon as he was at Mike's side he could see some kind of wire poking out of his skin and instead of placing pressure on the wound he took hold of Mike's chin and gently turned his head so he could get a better look.

"What is it Cap?" Mike asked in confusion.

"You're bleeding," Hank answered, "Kelly,"

"Yes Cap?"

"Will you walk Mike here over for John and Roy to look him over." His men already knew that his order only sounded like a request.

"Come on Lover boy," Chet took Mike by the arm and started pulling him toward where John and Roy were treating the other victims, "we got 'a get you fixed up before Miss Elmer sees you or she'll think you've been necking with another woman and your engagement will be history."

Even though Mike knew his shift mate was just teasing him, his words brought back memories. Memories of his short marriage mingled with memories of what Laura had told him about her's.

John and Roy both felt there was nothing to worry about but they also agreed that the foreign body in the wound should be removed at Rampart. After Roy left with the ambulance John did some fancy bandaging and it was decided that Hank would drive the engine and Mike would ride to Rampart in the squad.

Since the station was on the way to the hospital Hank stopped off and picked up Mike's mother, throwing a turnout coat and a helmet on her before he helped her up to the cab of the engine. "Honest Mrs. Stocker he's going to be just fine we're just sending him to the hospital as a precaution, he's probably going to need a tetanus shot, but he wanted to introduce you to your future daughter-in-law personally."

By the time Hank was escorting Mrs. Stoker through the emergency room doors the Doctor was finished with Mike and left the nurse to administer the tetanus shot and apply the band aid. When he stepped into the hall way his mother hurried over to his side and Mike put on his most childish voice.

"I got a booboo, mommy, and the doctor was mean to me, he wouldn't give me a sucker." Elaine Stoker playfully slapped her son on the arm and he put his arm around her shoulder. "Really Mom I'm just fine. I even could have driven the engine in but Cap likes to drive her once in a while."

Walking up to the nurse's desk with his arm around his mother's shoulder Mike asked about the where abouts of Laura and was told she was catching up on her charting at the end of her shift.

It was then that Laura walked up behind them shuffling patient's charts before she set them down on the desk and let out a deep sigh.

"You have some visitors," Dixie nodded behind Laura.

Laura turned and saw all the smiling faces in blue uniforms and Mike with his arm around his mother's shoulder. "I see Mike finally got a hold of you."

Mrs. Stoker's eyes flew open, "She's, she's the one who came to tell us about your father, she's the one who delivered little Jerry."

Laura blushed and Mike bit his tongue as he nod his head affirmatively.

"I thought you said she left." Elaine turned to her son.

"She came back," Mike explained with a smile.

"So you've met our Miss Elmer," Dixie commented with a smile, she had already figured out from over hearing Mike call her Mommy who she was.

"That's soon to be Mrs. Stoker," Elaine declared feeling certain that Laura was waiting on her being informed of the news before she made any kind of an announcement, and the surprise shown on Dixie's face.

"What's this I hear?" Dr. Bracket came into the conversation.

Laura blushed deeply then pulled her left hand out of her lab coat pocket and placed it on display, "You heard right," she said with a glowing smile and soon found herself surrounded by medical staff.

"What's going on here?" Dr. Morton questioned as he walked up to the group with his chart.

"We're consulting on the examination of Miss Elmer's left hand," Dr Brackett joked as he gestured to the shinny thing on her finger.

"I don't believe it," Morton exclaimed, "I don't know which is hardest to believe; that Craig Brice actually proposed or that you said yes."

"Brice!!!" Laura exclaimed in total disbelief.

"Well yeah, you're always asking him those off the wall questions when he brings a patient in here. Like weather or not he's ticklish or if he parted his hair differently today," Morton explained.

"It shuts him up doesn't it?" Laura challenged his assumption.

"Yeah it dose, quite quickly in fact. But if it's not Brice then who?"

Everyone in the area pointed to Mike who placed his free arm around Laura's shoulder while still holding his mother by the shoulder.

"Him? You're marrying a plain old fireman?" Morton put his other foot in his mouth.

"I'll have you know he's neither plain nor old but he is a very exciting fireman." Laura defended as she slipped her arm around Mike's waist and lay her head on his shoulder.

"I didn't mean, I, I was just surprised it wasn't a paramedic or someone like that."

"Yeah, someone like that." Laura countered as Dr. Morton finally realized he might as well quit while he was behind.

"Well if there's nothing more you need from me," Laura began to end the conversation. "My shift is done and I have a Mother-in-law to get acquainted with."

With that Laura, Elaine Stoker and the Crew of station 51 made their way for the exit.

"By the way how are Brice's human lessons coming?" Johnny questioned as they walked and everyone laughed including a couple of Doctors and a nurse standing at the desk behind them.

"He'll come around just as soon as I convince him that he wants to." Laura answered and everyone chuckled anew.

Laura led Mike's Mom to her car and they left to have an early lunch together while John and Roy responded to a call of a man down, and Mike skillfully managed to get the engine back to the station, bandage and all, in time for the first of many phone calls that would come in for Mike through out the rest of the day as the good news spread to family and friends.

When Laura brought Mike's Mom back to the station to get her car around dinner time Mike was still smiling. As Mike walked his Mom to her car she reached up and pulled him down for a hug, "I told you that one wouldn't mind being married to a fireman."

"Does that mean you approve?" Mike asked smiling more boldly.

"Would it matter if I didn't?" Elaine smiled at her son.

"Sorry Mom, but I'm afraid not," Mike helped her in the car.

"Well then I know it's real and yes, I do approve, after lunch I'm sure she's just as much in love with you as you are with her and I couldn't be happier for both of you."

00000

Mike and Laura's bid on the house was accepted and they were quickly approved for a loan, and then the work began. The night they signed the papers Mike and Laura went to the house and pulled up the moldy carpeting and treated the floor boards with a substance to kill the mold spores. They then talked about what they wanted to do with each of the six bedrooms.

Mike and Laura made a trip to his Mom's house to talk over wedding plans and to Laura's surprise Mike had checked out a couple of books from the library on Native American wedding rituals.

"Mike," Laura asked hesitantly as they drove to Mike's child hood home, "I know that since I've been married before it's not totally proper but would you be upset with me if I wore my mother's wedding dress?"

"You can wear anything you want, I'll just be happy to have you there beside me," Mike answered as he took one hand off the steering wheel of Laura's car and took hold of her hand with it.

It was decided to have the wedding in the back yard of the new house that way the money they spent on decorating would also build up the house. They both decided that they only wanted to invite friends and family but as they listed those friends and family they realized they were more blessed than they had previously thought. It was also decided that they would write their own vows and pick and choose the rituals that they both liked to incorporate with a Christian wedding ceremony and they both agreed that the department Chaplin would be just the person to perform the wedding.

It was also decided to set the date a week before their leases expired so they could use their apartments to help house all the wedding guests.

The next shift break found the whole shift working together to clear Mike's new back yard. Mike had rented a small front end loader and Chet with his experience in the army made short work of removing the unwanted vegetation, and level the ground while protecting the prized tree."

"I'm surprised you're not planning to remove this tree," Roy commented as he shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked upward.

"Remove it, I'm putting in a tree house," Mike declared with a smile.

"How far up," Johnny joined the group with his own upward gaze.

"As high as I can safely do so," Mike responded proudly.

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Johnny questioned, "I mean the way your wife to be climbs in her sleep?"

"At least it will be in the back yard and I won't have to look all over to find her," Mike answered and they got back to work. Before the day was done they had assembled a pre cut pergola and cemented it in as well as a low retaining wall around the tree.

As Mike and his friends rested and ate pizza at the end of the day he looked at his new home. The painting was done thanks to a loan of a paint sprayer. The carpet was laid in one room and a wood floor put down in the other and now the yard was starting to take shape. As Mike looked at the newly cleared back yard he could more clearly see the plan Laura has sketched out for them and had an idea.

When he got home that night he made a quick call to Carlos Garcia. "Hey Carl, I've been thinking and wonder if you could help me." Mike started. "Remember the bush and the roses in Laura's back yard that were grown form Laura's Mother's wedding bouquet?"


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The next time Mike stopped by the house to work on things he noticed there were drapes hanging in the newly washed windows. Letting himself inside and walking through the house he noticed boxes were starting to stack up in the back bedroom. Then he looked out the back window and noticed the work that had been done out there along with the large pile of rather smelly rich compost that had been dumped at the side of the house.

He was just starting to place some of the patio stones when a hankie floated down and landed on the ground next to him and he immediately looked up to see Laura's sneakers swinging back and forth in the top branches of the tree. As Mike started up, Laura started down and the two of them met somewhere in the middle of the tree.

"Your napkin my lady," Mike chivalrously handed Laura the hankie she had dropped.

Laura just looked at him and smiled before moving in for a kiss, and then another, "I never dreamed I would find anyone who would be willing to meet me half way." Laura finally spoke as the two of them melted into each other's arms.

"I'd travel to the ends of the earth for you," Mike answered.

"I promise that I'll never make you do that," Laura spoke softly as she moved in for another kiss.

Mike made sure he was secure then pulled Laura close to him. "So what's got you up a tree this morning?"

"That obvious?"

Mike just nod his head and snuggled her closer.

"I got a letter yesterday from my Grandmother. She's coming to the wedding and bringing Grandfather with her." Laura explained.

"That's great," Mike exclaimed then saw the look on Laura's face.

"They're driving out and should be here next week," Laura sighed. "My face is too pale for him I'm sure he's going to have a few things to say about your DNA and none of it nice."

"Well in that case I may need some extra reminders that you love me for who I am and I will try my best to never let you forget that I love you for who and what you are. And if he doesn't like it there will be a few police officers at the wedding who will have my permission to haul him away." Mike spoke positively, "You do know that your grandfather is the one loosing here not you."

"We're both loosing in many ways but I am proud of my parentage and who I've become. I've been influenced by many cultures and I've always tried to choose the best parts of everything. I can honestly say that I've made a difference in the world and left a lot of places better than I found them. Grandfather doesn't like it when I challenge him to tell me he's done the same. I'm afraid he'll zero in on you."

"I'm a big strong fireman, I can take it." Mike answered positively doing his very best to hide his trepidation.

"Mike" they heard from the ground followed by the sound of the gate opening. Mike looked down to see Roy coming through the gate pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with yard tools and Johnny right behind him.

"And I have lots of strong firemen friends to help protect me," Mike finished his previous statement before acknowledging his friends. "Up here."

Soon two sets of eyes were looking up from the base of the tree, "are we interrupting anything?" Johnny asked with a big teasing smile.

"Yes," Laura answered without making any effort to move away from Mike's arms, "But it's a good thing because if we weren't constantly interrupted we'd never get anything done." Holding on to Mike's arm around her with one hand Laura raised her watch into viewing range and sighed. "The sod is due to be delivered in an hour we better get down from here and get to work."

Reluctantly the two love birds climbed out of their tree and as Mike reached the ground first he pulled Laura from the lowest branch over his shoulders in a fireman's carry and swung her around. Laura retaliated by tickling him in his armpits so he finally put her down.

"You remember that old friend of ours," Johnny turned to Roy, "His name was Mike Stoker a real great guy but he was so quiet and shy that you hardly knew he was around."

"Yeah, I remember him," Roy answered back teasing, "I wonder what happened to him?"

Four people giggled and then got to work. The three men finished setting the patio stones while Laura borrowed Roy's wheel barrow and started moving the compost to where it belonged around the yard. When the sod arrived they were ready for it and Laura was ready to tackle the flowering plants that were delivered with it. As they worked Mike and Laura talked back and forth about plans yet to be made and schedules to be worked around.

"So with your Grandfather coming are you still going to have Carlos give the bride away?" Mike asked.

"Absolutely," Laura answered between moving shovels full of dirt. "Grandfather would never even acknowledge his relation to me in public. I'm not going to let him ruin my wedding by giving him a chance to publicly object to who I'm marrying."

Mike stopped working for a moment to look at Laura and cringed at the thought of her being shunned because she was of mixed heritage.

"Oh Mike," Laura remembered something, "They need me to work at the hospital the day the Piano and things are going to be delivered, is there a chance you can be here to let them in?"

"Yeah," Mike answered doing his best not to look at Laura; he knew she was going to have to work because he had called Dixie to arrange it so that she wouldn't see what else was on that truck. "I was planning on it any way; I've already traded shifts so I can be here."

"Just remember their supposed to do all the moving, I don't want you to have a hernia for our honeymoon."

"I'll behave myself," Mike smiled. "Hey speaking of work when do you go in tonight?"

"2200 hours, why?"

"Then you need to get some sleep," Mike suggested-r- ordered.

"I will as soon as I get these planters planted and watered," Laura didn't take the hint.

When the planters were filled with flowers they hoped would be in full bloom for the wedding Mike turned on the hose and handed it to Johnny before going to his truck and bringing back a hammock which he hung from two appropriately spaced tree limbs before wrapping Laura up in a sleeping bag and lifting her into it.

Roy and Johnny smiled at each other as they watched Mike tuck Laura in like she were a child and then tie a rope to the bottom of the hammock and unroll it as he walked toward the bench on the back patio.

"There's beer in the refrigerator," Mike told his friends quietly, "And stuff to make sandwiches with," he then sat down and gently pulled on the rope and then let it go and then pulled again. At the other end of the rope the hammock swayed back and forth, back and forth and Laura seemed to melt softly into the sleeping bag wrapped around her.

"That brings new meaning to that lullaby," Roy whispered with a smile.

"Let's just hope the bough doesn't break." Johnny whispered a response before the two of them went inside to get some refreshments bringing a sandwich and glass of lemonade back for Mike.

For the most part now all that was left was to keep the sod watered and to move in. Mike never went to the house that he didn't take a truck load with him and soon the back bedroom was rather full of boxes and both his and Laura's apartments were looking rather bear. But he also noticed each time that he went that some of their things were being placed through out the house making it into a home, their home. The first thing that went up on the kitchen wall near the phone was the large map of Los Angeles that Captain Stanley had given to Laura when she first moved to town.

Yet to be decided was who was going to move in first. They had talked about both of them moving in and just sleeping in separate rooms until the wedding, Mike was not going to do anything to make Laura or anyone else think she was a slut, and that meant not sleeping together until after the wedding, but no decision was made as far as who would move in first. They agreed to wait and see who was coming to the wedding and who would need a place to sleep

Maggie Swartz showed up in the emergency room one night hobbling in on a cane. Dixie had agreed to put her up while she was in town to give the two of them a chance to catch up on old times.

"Well girl," Maggie said as she stood back looking at Laura after they had both embraced. "I don't think I've ever seen you looking so good, this was definitely the right move for you." Laura just smiled at her friend's approval. "Now if you could just find a man for me maybe I'd be so happy."

"Hey Dr. Early come meet an old friend of mine," was Laura's response and both Dr. Brackett and Dixie who had greeted Maggie first and were still standing by started laughing.

Two shifts later Dixie was surprised to look up from her desk to see an Indian in full ceremonial head dress that included feathers that crowned his head and cascaded to the floor.

"May I help you?" Dixie spoke with authority wondering what was going on.

"We're here to see Laura Morningstar Elmer, the Indian woman at his side spoke while the Indian chief just folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh yes, um she's with a patient right now if you'll have a seat in the waiting room I'll tell her you're here." Dixie responded remembering that Laura was part Native American and figuring that this just might be family coming in for the wedding. She watched as the Indian Chief walked over to the waiting area and stood stoically as his wife sat next to him.

Laura gave her grandmother a huge hug and her grandfather a respectful bow before giving them directions to her apartment and the keys to get in. Upon request she also gave directions to Mike's station and as soon as they left she hurried to give Mike a warning call but they were out on a run.

Later that afternoon Dr. Brackett was sitting at the desk in treatment room 3 while his patient rested when his attention was drawn to the sound of a stool being drug across the floor. Unable to see what was making the noise he got up and walked closer to his patient when a small head with pony tails pointing strait up popped up on the other side of his patient. The little girl about two years of age had a stethoscope in her ears and was quick to place the bell end on the patient's stomach.

"I know they say you're getting old when the doctors look like kids but this is pushing it some," the patient commented.

"Shh," the little girl hissed as she moved the stethoscope to places Dr. Brackett never considered. Both the patient and Dr. Brackett giggled and watched the young girl as she finished her exam. When the orderlies came in to take the patient to his room the small girl took the ear pieces out of her ears and put them around her neck. "This patient has tummy giggles, he needs a milk shake, a chocolate one and a hot bottle on his tummy."

The two orderlies managed to hide their giggles as they moved the patient over to the gurney but the patient didn't even try. "I like her diagnosis better than yours doc. To bad I know which one is right."

"Well miss I don't believe we've met before," Dr. Brackett spoke with his arms folded across his chest. "Are you sure you have admitting privileges at this hospital?"

"I'm looking for my aura," the young girl answered, "I can fin her anywhere."

With that Dr. Bracket softened and picked the young girl up off of the stool she was standing on, "Let's take you to some one who can help you find what you're looking for," As Dr. Brackett was carrying the young girl to the nurse's station he tried to better find out what she was looking for but didn't have a clue when she was done describing it to him. "Dix, I'd like you to meet our newest resident, she seems to have lost something do you think you could help her find it?"

Dixie looked up at the little girl that Kell Brackett stood up on her desk and gave a genuine smile. "Well hello there, what is your name?"

"I'm looking for my aura," the young girl repeated, "I can fin her anywhere."

Also at the desk were two paramedics gathering supplies who turned around at the sound of the little girl. "Well hello there," Johnny Gage said with his famous crooked smile.

"HI there," Roy added, "Your name is Jessica right?"

"I know them," Young Jessica pointed excitedly, "They have a big banage truck with lots of cupboards on it and they don't put any dishes in em. Do you know what they put in their cupboards?"

"I bet your going to tell me," Dixie responded with a smile.

''They have broken arm fixers and broken leg fixers and breathing thingys and a blipity blip watcher."

"A blipity blip watcher?" Dixie questioned she was able to figure out what the rest of the stuff she was talking about really was.

"Uh hu, they put sticky things on the tummy and hook strings to it and it lets them watch the heart go blipity blip."

"Oh I see." Dixie smiled again and Brackett hid his laugh in a cough as Dr. Early moved in to see what all the excitement was.

"Yeah and they also have a blipity blip catcher," Jessica continued to talk with excitement.

"What's a blipity blip catcher?" Dr. Early just had to ask.

"When the blipity blips run away they put this special stuff on these two thingys and then they reach up and catch them in, in the air and rub the two thingys together so that the blipity blips get stuck on real good and then they set the thingys on the tummy and push, push something and the blippity blips are pushed back in the heart."

"So I take it you know our miss Jessica here?" Dr. Brackett looked to the two paramedics.

"We met briefly when she and her brother and sister gave us a tour of our fire station," Johnny answered.

"I believe her mom and Dad are friends of our miss Elmer." Roy added the information he knew Dr. Brackett wanted in the first place.

"Soon to be Mrs. Stoker," Johnny added with a smile.

"Laura!" Dixie exclaimed finally realizing what the young girl's 'aura' was.

Dr. Brackett shared Dixie's enlightenment and reached behind him for a phone, "Please page Laura Elmer to the nurses station in ER."

Soon they hear the overhead page, "Laura Elmer to the ER nurses station, Laura Elmer please go to the ER nurses station."

A haggard looking woman came running with another young girl on her hip and a boy about 8 to 10 years old in tow. "Jessica there you are, I'm so sorry I just took Jazzy here to the bathroom and when I turned around she was gone."

"I just ooking for my Aura," Jessica repeated innocently.

Laura then came down the hall responding to her page when Jessica jumped down from the desk top, kept from falling to the floor by a quick fireman/paramedic with kids of his own, once her feet were on the floor she was running and she didn't stop until she had both arms wrapped around Laura's legs.

"Boy, are we in for it," Roy sighed as he watched Laura and her so called niece.

"What do you mean?" Johnny questioned.

"Mike, Cap and myself are going to baby sit all the kids for the bridal shower," Roy explained, "Cap and I thought we should do our part to help Mike learn what he's getting himself into."

"Well little Jessica won't be a problem, just get your dog to lay still for repeated physicals and let her bandage him up."

John and Roy were still laughing about Jessica's description of their equipment when they climbed out of the squad back at the station. Chet was seen running away from the captain's office and were surprised to see the Captain coming into the bay soon after followed by an Indian Chief in full head dress and his arms folding across his chest.

"Mike you have a guest." Captain Stanley called out and Mike was seen jumping to attention on top of the engine. With some hesitance Mike climbed down from the engine and carefully approached his guest.

"Welcome to our station Chief Blackhawk," Mike carefully greeted with a respectful bow.

Chief Blackhawk didn't say a word he just started walking around Mike and Mike responded by standing at attention. He felt like a horse at auction but he was going to do his best to not cause trouble for Laura with her grandfather.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

When the great Chief had walked around Mike three times he stopped and looked at him face to face and Mike made sure he looked him in the eye knowing he had nothing to hide or be ashamed of.

All the others in the station were looking to Johnny for some kind of an explanation but none was given.

Mercifully the klaxons sounded and Mike turned his head and his attention to the PA system.

**Station 49, Engine 51 structure fire in the garage, fifth and Palmdale, fifth and Palmdale.**

Mike moved around his guest and grabbed his turn out coat before pulling the door to the engine open and climbing inside. Roy moved toward the bay door and pressed the button to open it while Captain Stanley acknowledged the call and headed for his spot on the engine and Mike pulled out.

Chief Blackhawk made his way from the side of the squad toward the opened bay door where he watched the engine race away with its lights and sirens. Roy stood with his hand on the door button until the engine was out of site then pushed it to drop the door. Johnny remained at the squad leaning against the hood looking at their visitor and Roy could tell by the look on his face that he one knew who this man was and two didn't much care for him.

"They will probably be gone at least an hour," Roy attempted communication with the Indian Chief, "Could we interest you in a cup of coffee while your waiting?"

Chief Blackhawk gave a silent nod of his head and Roy lead the way to the common room motioning with a jerk of his head for Johnny to follow.

"So you must be Laura's Grandfather," Johnny attempted conversation as he held out a chair for his guest to sit down while Roy poured three cups of coffee and placed them on a plate to carry them to the table.

Johnny had no intention of telling this man of his heritage, he knew of his call to preserve the purity of the Native American blood lines. It was after a visit to his reservation that he became increasingly shunned in his home town because of his mixed blood lines and he didn't want to open himself up to any more criticism because of a decision he was only the product of.

"She is the firstborn of my daughter," the Chief finally spoke as he remained standing and Johnny knew this was to protect his fancy headdress. He also picked up on the words he used to admit his relationship to Miss Elmer.

The chief took a cup of the offered coffee and gave it a careful taste, "What can you tell me of this man called Mike Stoker?"

"He's a good man," Roy started to praise the engineer when Johnny held his hand up to stop him.

"He's a great warrior, who has earned the honor and respect of his people. He has proven his bravery on countless occasions and has the trust of all those who work with him," Johnny supplied an appropriate description of the engineer he respected.

"You speak the language," Chief Blackhawk acknowledged, "from which tribe do you hail?"

"Black Hills Lakota," Johnny answered with out elaboration. He watched as the great Chief glanced at his name tag and his expression turned. Johnny knew instantly that he knew by his last name that he was not of pure blood lines and neither man said another word.

Roy tried a couple of times to start a conversation by offering to show him around the station or the equipment on the squad but the only response he got was a staring match between their guest and his partner. The situation was tense at best but finally the bay doors opened and the engine began to back into the bay. Everyone on the engine moved quickly to the washroom and Mike was the first back out again with Captain Stanley on his heals was soon making his way to the common room drying his face and hands with a paper towel as he walked.

Excited to see what was happening with the Indian Chief Marco and Chet were not far behind and soon the common room felt just a little crowded.

'A, Marco and Chet," Hank struggled to decide what was best to do. "We brought a lot of mud back with us on that last run would you get the mops out and a, clean up the bay a little. Roy I believe it's your turn to prepare lunch today is there anything the rest of us can do to help."

"No Cap it's in the oven and I just need to throw together a salad." Roy answered relieved to be relieved of the duty of entertaining their guest.

"Sir, would you like to join us for lunch?" Captain Stanley extended an invitation as Johnny and Mike each stood by looking at their guest. Both looking somewhat intimidated.

"Why do you have your men do squaw's work?" Chief Blackhawk spoke in response to Captain Stanley's invitation.

"Well, a, it's not exactly women's work, especially here at the station." The Captain spoke cautiously and deliberately thinking each word through before he let it out.

"Because they're better than you," came an explanation Cap would have never given, in a feminine voice from the doorway to the bay. "These men are strong enough in their own manhood that they don't need someone following them around cleaning up after them and making them feel important. They know how important they are every time a call comes in and they step up to what ever challenge their presented with, often times at he risk of their own lives for the sake of others." Laura slowly walked closer to her grandfather as she talked. "They don't need to cover themselves with fancy feather work and beads to make themselves feel important," Laura then reached up and flipped the headband of the headdress with her fingers shoving it several inches back on her grandfather's head.

Johnny's eyes flew open wide at Laura's actions, "Does she know she's not supposed to do that?" Johnny whispered his question to Mike.

"You're looking at the same person who whacked Chief Jenner up the side of the head with a rolled up coloring book," Mike whispered back "I think she doesn't much care what she is or isn't supposed to do right now."

"If you'd have had proper upbringing you would have learned how to show proper respect to your elders."

"Oh, I was taught aright," Laura responded to her grandfather with a hint of anger at the remark against her father. "But once I got out in the world on my own I quickly realized that usually the more someone demands respect the less he or she actually deserves it."

Laura then made her way over near where the crew of station 51 had huddled together and stood in front of them but clearly with them. "In all my travels I've learned one thing. It doesn't matter what color a person's skin is or what position they hold in the government they all bleed red and if too much of that red blood spills out then they will die. At times like that no one cares what my breeding is, only that I know what I'm doing and can do it well enough to save their life. The worse casualties in history have happened at the hands of people with the same philosophy about racial purity as you have. There's nothing good that will ever come of it. In my opinion you're just jealous that I and people like me have more heritage than you do. And for the record I am proud of my heritage, every bit of it, and I'm not going to let you belittle in any way, any one I care about or myself while your here."

Hank looked around at his men to find most of them showing agreement with Laura's words. Mike sported the smile of someone very proud of the person doing the talking and John looked as if he was having a profound moment. All in all their guest was no longer on some pedestal of intimidation he had become just another human being who walked on the same floor as they did.

"Now," Laura continued now with her hands on her hips, "I suggest you get your butt back in your truck and get back to my apartment where Grandmother has dinner waiting for us."

"And what if I choose not to?" Chief Blackhawk offered his last resistance.

"I've hauled you out over my shoulders before I can do it again," Laura countered now dishing out the intimidation, "I won't promise not to ruffle your plumage though so if you want to keep them in tact you better move it."

As much as the Chief tried to hold his head high as he retreated to his truck everyone knew he was defeated but graciously no one made a comment just subtle sighs as he left.

"Sorry guys," Laura turned to her friends, "You can choose your friends but---"

"You can't choose your relatives," the station 51 crew finished Laura's statement in unison. Laura gave them all a smile and Mike a kiss, on the lips, and then she was gone.

00000

The A-shift crew were all changing into their street clothes in the locker room. It had been a long night in which the dumpster arsonists struck twice. Only this time they took the time to move the dumpsters away from the buildings and parked them in the middle of the alleys making it that much harder to get to them to put them out. To make maters worse most of these dumpsters had plastic lids that melted onto the rest of the dumpster making it harder to get to the flames and make sure everything was out. No one had counted how many dumpsters had gone up this time the topic of conversation as they changed clothes was on the up coming bridal shower Roy's wife was throwing for Laura at their house while Mike, Roy and Cap babysat all the kids at Mike's new house just two blocks away.

"My sister's baby is probably going to have to be carried around the whole night," Mike predicted, "little Jerry doesn't like it when his mom isn't right where he can see her."

"All little ones get upset when their surroundings change," Roy started to dispel fatherly advice. "How are your diaper changing skills?" Everyone else in the room snickered as they listened to Mike and Roy plan for their night but no one dared say a word for fear they would get volunteered to come help.

"Laura helped me practice on her teddy bear last break," Mike smiled with confidence, "I can say for sure that I can get one on so that it will stay on when you lift the child back up and with out sticking the pin in the baby."

I took Roy a minute to stop laughing before he could talk, "I'll bring a bunch of board games for the other kids, we have Operation that should keep little Jessica happy. Jenny's going to bring her Barbies. Do you know what kind of games Robert and Jazzy like to play?"

Mike turned a little sober, "Robert and Jasmine had it really hard in the orphanage where Laura's crew rescued them from, they're still learning how to be a little kids and have fun." "Their dad has been working with Robert playing catch and baseball. I'm sure what ever Chris likes he'd be willing to try just warn your son that he might take a while to catch on. I don't know what Jasmine is in to." Mike bent down to tie his shoes then looked back at Roy. "I don't have one of those child gates to keep the kids from falling down the stairs do you think it would be alright to place several boxes of books at the top of the stairs?"

"That should work," Roy agreed after some thought, "Heaven forbid we should have a fire we could always get out the back door."

"Oh yeah, which one of us gets to frisk the kids for matches?" Mike asked with a worried look on his face.

"I'll do that," Roy was quick to volunteer since had learned the hard way where kids can hide those kinds of things and knew ways to check for them without being accusing.

The day of the bridal shower Hank and Roy Met at Mike's house early in the afternoon each one with an armload of games and toys and Hank brought two wagons.

Mike had checked with his sister and she assured him that she would bring the food little Jerry liked and the rest were going to eat macaroni and Cheese and hot dogs and pizza and kool-aid.

When it was time the three men walked the two blocks to Roy's house two of them pulling wagons. As the women gathered Roy and Cap loaded the rest of the supplies, balls, Barbies and blankets into one of the wagons. While Robert and Jasmine were helped into the other wagon and Chris and Jenney were loaded in to Desoto's wagon.

While Cap and Roy pulled the three wagons around the house Mike walked through the living room and noticed Laura's grandfather statuesquely standing in the entry to the kitchen as Joanne nervously stepped around him and she came and went.

"You know this party is for women only," Mike barrowed some of the defiance Laura had shown, "You're going to need to come with the rest of us men," Mike then with out saying a word shouldered his sister's diaper bag before scooping up his young nephew and hurrying out the door with him screaming at the top of his lungs. Roy quickly took the crying child and started bouncing him as he walked ahead of the wagons. Chris was sitting in the back of his wagon holding onto the handle of the wagon holding the supplies and Mike took hold of the first wagon and started to pull while Chief Blackhawk silently brought up the rear. The ride to the Stoker's new house was just the beginning of the fun.

Author's excuses for it taking so long: sorry I've been fighting with a writers block. Not so much from not having ideas but from having too much excitement in my live. I have just gotten another of my stories with all original characters published and the first copies have arrived. I'm so excited and giddy I can't think straight. I've also started some of my interviews for some news paper articles and reviews and even though I've sat at the computer to write it's often been all I could do to get a sentence or two down. The Book is titled 'A Knight in Dented Armor," and if anyone is interested there are more details about he book and where it can be found after Nov. 7th at .net/vastewart, You can check it out. I promise to do everything in my power to get this story finished before Nov. 7th


	31. Chapter 31

Okay here is the next chapter finally I'm trying to get this done maybe a few more comments will help me get the next one out faster, It's worked before.

Chapter 31

By the time the wagon train had reached the Stoker household little Jerry had actually stopped crying that was until the door was opened and they entered the house. Roy quickly carried him into the family room that was mostly void of furniture, except for one chair and Mike's electronic piano, and started trying to interest him in some of the age appropriate toys that had been gathered. Mike and Cap helped the remaining five children out of the wagons and while Cap parked the wagons in the garage Mike carried in the supplies leaving the door open for everyone else to follow him in. Chris and Jennifer were quick to follow Mike through the door and Jennifer hurried over to try and help her father quiet the crying baby by trying to put a pacifier in his mouth, which the baby wouldn't take. Chris stopped just inside the room and turned to wait for his new friend to come along.

Robert stood on the door step for a moment holding Jasmine's hand and trying to hold Jessica's but she kept pulling her hand out of his so he just placed his hand on her shoulder and tried to keep her from running wild. Slowly and cautiously Robert stuck his head inside the door and looked around.

"It's okay you can go in son." Hank offered some encouragement from behind a scary looking old man with long hair braided at the sides of his head.

Robert took a step inside but stayed in the entry way looking frightened as Jasmine put her arms around his waist and Jessica just stood next to him and looked around.

Mike set the stuff he was carrying down and turned to see where he was needed next when he saw the look on Robert's face. Quickly going to the boy and kneeling down in front of him to make himself look smaller to the frightened boy, Mike hunched over a little so that he and Robert could look eye to eye. "It's okay," Mike started, "This is not your new home you're just going to stay here while your mom is at the party and then she'll come and get you. Some time tonight I promise." Mike assured the boy, "The only thing I want you to do while you're here is to play and have fun."

Robert looked at Mike and tightened his grip on Jasmine's hand.

"Jasmine is going to stay here too," Mike understood because Laura had explained the horror of imposed labor that had been inflicted on the children at the orphanage she had rescued them from. "We're not going to separate any of you. We're just here to have fun. Now why don't you go look at the toys over there and see if there's anything you would like to play with, I think Chris would like to play ball or something with you. The whole idea tonight is that you all have fun and remember your mother said it was alright to call me Uncle Mike so if you want anything or have any questions you can ask me. Okay?"

Robert looked at Mike and nod his head but his face still shown with fear. Roy having heard about the orphanages in Viet Nam while he was there in the war thought he had an idea what the children must have been rescued from. After Mike talked with them Robert led his two sisters into the big family room and the three of them stood looking around as Mike then turned his attention to the next guest.

Chief Blackhawk slowly walked through the door followed quickly by Hank Stanley who excused his way around the man to help with trying to calm the still crying Jerry.

"I'm going to place a row of boxed books along the stairs to keep the little kids from climbing them." Mike explained. "Most of the books in the boxes are full of pictures of Laura as she worked around the world. You're welcome to look through them if you like. That chair there is very comfortable to sit in can I get you a drink?"

Are you offering me beer or do you have something stronger?" The Indian chief asked.

"Well, um, actually we planned our refreshments around the children we don't have any alcohol but we do have three colors of kool-aid," Mike spoke hesitantly. "Would you like yellow, green or purple?"

"Is the yellow, lemonade or some other unsuspecting flavor?" the chief asked with a smile.

"I'm pretty sure the package said lemonade," Mike returned the smile as he finished placing the boxes of books along the steps. Mike then stepped over the boxes and hurried up the stairs taking them two at a time and returned moments later with two trays in his hands. One covered with several small glasses of juice in all three colors and one big glass filled with yellow juice in the middle the other tray covered with hot dogs and buns.

Hank stepped up and took the trays from Mike so Mike could climb over the boxes. Once Mike was on the other side he reached up and collected the large glass of lemonade and handed it to his future grandfather-in-law before he reached into the nearest box to him and handed one of Laura's books to him to start looking over while Mike turned his attention to the children.

Roy's son Chris had managed to get little Jerry to calm down some by playing peak-a-boo with him soon Jennifer was joining in but that was too much for young Jerry who started crying again. Robert very slowly moved over to the crying child who was sitting on the floor throwing a temper tantrum of magnanimous proportions. Slowly and cautiously Robert picked up some of the blocks that Roy had been trying to interest little Jerry in when they first entered. Slowly Robert started stacking the bright colored blocks between the child's feet as he cried. When Robert has reached a stack of six blocks high he started calling very softly, "Looky at the blocks Jerry, can you see them."

The crying child kicked his feet along the floor knocking the stack of blocks over.

"Yeay!" Robert called out quietly clapping his hands with excitement and young Jerry stopped crying for just a second. As he started to cry again Robert started stacking the blocks again. He was just placing the third block on the stack when Jerry kicked his feet again knocking them down. This time Roy joined Robert in clapping and cheering on the young child and helping Robert to start stacking the blocks again.

With the two of them working together they got five blocks stacked before Jerry knocked them down again and this time he didn't start crying again as they started stacking them up again. The next time Jerry kicked the blocks over he laughed the next time they had just set the first block down when he started to kick so Robert just scooped the blocks near his feet and let him kick away. Roy was quick to take over on the game with the blocks grateful Robert had thought of it.

"That was a great idea there son," Hank clapped his hand on the boys shoulder only to have him pull away in panic.

Mike was quickly on his knees in front of the boy reaching out to hold his shoulders but stopping short. "It's okay Robert, he didn't mean anything by it, Cap calls everyone son," Mike explained quickly. "I promise you your mom is going to come and get you before the night is over and your father will be here on a plane in the morning just like they told you they would."

"I'm not getting adopted again?" Robert asked his words catching on his heavy breathing.

"No way man, Carlos and Malinda love you and wouldn't even think of parting with you. That party tonight is just not meant for kids to be around that's all." Mike explained and held his arms wide as an offer of a hug leaving the next move up to Robert. "I'm just Uncle Mike, I hope we'll be good friends and have lots of fun together as you grow up but that is up to you. I'll never be anything more; you're Carlos and Malinda's son and always will be."

Robert timidly stepped in to Mike's offer of a hug and Jasmine hurried over to join in. Mike carefully wrapped his arms loosely around them and turned to his stunned Captain. "In the orphanage it was common for them to be adopted for short periods of time to be farm labor or to clean house, Or other even less pleasant things."

Hank sighed and hung his head in understanding of what Mike didn't say and silently vowed to choose his words better as he started to rehears in his mind what he would say to the boy when he was done in Mike's arms.

Jessica who was now free of her brother's hand holding walked over to the Indian Chief sitting in the chair with a glass of lemonade in one hand and a book opened on his lap. With her arms folded across her dangling stethoscope she asked a question. "Why is you ook so carry?"

Totally surprised by the young girls question, the other three men in the room fought hard to keep their laughs silent and their grins facing away from the man being questioned.

As they were listening to see what Chief Blackhawk would answer little Jerry held his breath and turned red in the face before making a sound out his other end that both experienced parents recognized long before the odor reached their noses.

"I volunteer Mike to change that diaper," Hank spoke up quickly, he had been looking forward to just this moment from the time he suggested they throw a party for the kids of those going to the bridal shower. The Indian Chief in the corner just snickered.

Mike had known this moment was coming too, and he had prepared the best he could. Leaning away from the two kids in his arms Mike gave them both his biggest smile. "Now I meant what I said earlier I want both of you to have fun tonight. There's games and toys over there and I bet Chris and Jennifer would love to teach you how to play with them."

Mike then pushed to his feet and pulled the diaper bag strap over his shoulder as if it were the suspenders on his turn outs and then proceeded to take Jerry into his arms. "Lets go see about getting you some clean britches there kiddo."

Hank and Roy shared grins as Mike walked down the hall to the bathroom, "I a, better go with him and make sure, um yeah, a, make sure he doesn't drop the kid in the toilet or something."

Hank snickered and slapped a camera in Roy's hand before trying to herd the four oldest children toward some toys or something fun. Chief Blackhawk turned his attention back to the book in his lap and started turning the pages in hopes the toddler standing in front of him with arms folded across her chest would forget about the answer she was waiting for.

In the bathroom Mike impressed Roy by pulling a towel off the rack and folding it in half and placing it on the floor before lowering young Jerry down and laying him on the towel. Mike then surprised Roy by reaching into a nearby drawer and pulling out a couple of disposable exam gloves. Once the gloves were in place Mike did a somewhat slower than normal, slightly awkward diaper change while talking to the child in calming tones telling him he was a real stinky kid. When Mike was done he pulled off his gloves and tied the bag containing the smelly contents closed capturing all the smell. He picked the now fussing child up and held him securely just to hear the same ominous sound that sent them in this room to begin with.

"Just how much crap can one little kid have in him?" Mike exclaimed as Roy snapped a picture and shared a grin.

"That's how it goes sometimes." Roy explained and Mike sighed in resignation and lay his nephew down once again to change his stinky diaper.

Mike was able to change the next diaper a little more efficiently and once again tied the bag closed before picking the young boy up from the floor. Jerry immediately grabbed a hold of Mike's nose and tried to move it over next to his right ear. Roy took another picture.

Mike blew a raspberry in the side of Jerry's neck and escaped to put his nose back in place. Holding the child securely with both hands Mike carried him back to the family room where the others were playing and noticed that Roy and Hank shared a special grin and a few hand gestures. Once back in the room he noticed that Chris and Robert were building something with a set of tinker toys accented with Lego blocks. Jennifer had Jasmine just a few feet away playing with Barbie dolls and Jessica had planted herself on the bottom step next to the boxes of books and the seated scary looking Indian Chief and had pulled one of the books out to look at herself.

"That's My aura, in that picture," she was showing the silent man in the chair next to her. "Her's helping all those people after their houses falled down."

"Who says she's your Laura?" the Indian Chief finally spoke to the young girl as he turned a disinterested and slightly annoyed eye in her direction while keeping the other one on his book.

"Cuz I say so." Jessica answered with out a second thought and turned the page in her book. "There's my aura again, her's carrying that boy with owies on his leg and head." And there her is again her's playing in that funny looking cave," Jessica pointed to a picture of Laura handing a child out of the rubble of a collapsed building.

"It looks like our Chief over there has met his match," Hank whispered to Roy but Mike heard him. "She tried to climb in his lap telling him she would read the pictures to him if he would read the words, but he told her he wasn't a chair and to get her own book. But he was a little nicer than that about it." Mike watched the Chief and child interact. It was clear to Mike that Laura's grandfather was paying more attention to what the little girl was saying than he was letting on. Mike even caught him looking at the pictures she was pointing out a few times. He wondered if the great Indian Chief had any idea he was sitting next to his great-granddaughter and what his reaction to her would be if he knew.

Mike set Jerry down on the floor and tried to interest him in the blocks again but he was no longer interested in those, instead he wanted some of the punch the kids were drinking and managed to spill two small cups before Mike could catch him. Mike responded by getting new cups for the kids and finding one less full than the others and trying to help Jerry drink from it.

Hank and Roy were quick with the paper towels cleaning up the mess but they weren't too busy to snap a picture of Mike helping Jerry spill most of his punch down the front of him. Next Mike tired to feed Jerry some of his baby food. Jerry wasn't interested in the food and managed to spit most of it back at Mike and get it all over himself in addition. It was a good thing Mike and set down a layer of news paper first. Of course Hank had to get a picture of that too. When Jerry became festinated with the sound the newspaper made when he crumpled it in his hand Mike gave up and put the lid back on the bottle of baby food.

Jessica then came running up to the closest adult to her, except the silent Chief, calling, "It's broke fix it." Mike quickly turned his attention to the young girl who was carrying one of the books in Cap's direction. He was sure a page had been torn and was thinking they had better keep the books away from the young girl.

"How is it broke?" Hank asked the young girl as he helped her hold the book.

"That picture braked," Jessica continued in a worried tone, "It no have my Aura in it."

Hank sighed and fought hard to hold back his laugh as he shook his head, "I bet your Laura was holding the camera and taking this picture," he tired to calm the girl down.

"But I can see her." Jessica put her nose right next to the book to get a better look.

"Oh look there she is over there." Hank pointed to the picture on the next page and Jessica was happy again.

Deciding to make a bottle for him Mike asked his shift mates to keep an eye on the baby and headed for the kitchen. Me was brought running back into the room by Jessica's screaming.

"Owwie, Owwie," the small girl screamed bringing Mike down the stairs in one giant leap and to the girls side. "somebunny has a help my Aura, her beeding."

Mike's focus was drawn to the book Jessica was holding and the picture she had her hand on. It was taken when just after Laura had been injured in the explosion in the post earthquake rubble. She was being carried away along with another man whom Mike knew was named Sy McGregor and they were both covered in their own blood.

"That was a long time ago, Laura's all better now," Mike started to sooth the young girl as the Indian Chief was seen looking hard to get a glimpse of the picture over the girls shoulder while he held a hand on her shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "See all these people helping Laura? They took her someplace the camera couldn't go and fixed her up and she's all better now. You remember you just saw her an hour ago at the other party. She was okay right."

Jessica looked at Mike with tear filled eyes and nod her head. "See, pictures help you remember something that happened a long time ago. Things that are in the picture are not happening right now." Mike tried to explain he then took the book from the little girls hand and handed it to the quiet chief behind her before he took her in his arms and cradled her next to him while rubbing her back. As the young girl calmed down in his arms Mike watched chief Blackhawk study the picture before turning the page. Mike already knew the next pages held pictures of Laura with her shoulder bandaged up but bleeding through her bandage. She had a IV pole duct taped to her back the injured arm duct taped to her chest from the elbow up as she had both hands free to work on the others who were injured. It had been nearly a year and several natural and personal disasters later before Laura had the debris from that explosion removed from her shoulder just after she and Mike first met.

"No, No Jerry," Roy was heard before the crawling child started crying. Mike looked in their direction to see Roy holding Jerry and sweeping his mouth with his finger to remove several Lego blocks. It seemed he had gotten tired of the newspaper but not before he managed to get black news print smeared all over his body and his clothes.

"I'm afraid this is more than just a wash rag clean up," Hank determined. "This young man is going to need a bath."

Hank went ahead to get the water the right temperature and Mike scanned the room to make sure all was well. Jennifer and Jasmine were now coloring in color books the boys were still building their masterpiece and Jessica pulled another book out of one of the boxes and sat down starting to turn the pages.

Mike carried little Jerry in to the bathroom and started peeling his clothes off being very aware of the camera in his Captain's hands. Jerry seemed to like his bath and he kicked and splashed Mike was willing to let him play while he was careful that he not roll over and swallow water. Jerry sent up a urine fountain to his great delight that got Mike right in the chest and Hank got pictures.

When they had clean clothes on both Jerry and Mike, Hank carried the boy into the family room while Mike finished preparing a bottle and joined his friends. After checking to make sure the temperature was right Hank handed over the baby and Mike leaned up against the wall to snuggle his nephew and hold his bottle for him. Jerry was just drifting off to sleep when Jessica walked over carrying her new book.

"Unca Mike what's this?" she asked pointing to her book. Mike took a good look and noticed Jessica had managed to find one of Laura's Anatomy books and Jessica was asking him to identify a very detailed diagram of the private portions of the male anatomy.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Six men were all sitting at the table in the common room howling with laughter as they helped Hank and Roy paste the photo's they'd taken at Mike's place into a photo album that Hank intended to present to Mike at the bachelor party he was hosting the first night after the shift. The three bachelors and the replacement engineer were enjoying every tidbit as Hank and Roy told what had happened during their night with the kids.

"So what did Mike tell the girl about the pictures?" Johnny asked laughing but still feeling for his friend slightly.

"He told her that was stuff Laura needed to know to fix people up and that when she was a little older and learned a few other things she would understand," Roy explained with a smirk.

"Yeah and then she came to me about five minutes later," Hank added, "And told me that she was a little older now and still didn't understand." The room roared in laughter and the pictures were passed around the room before they were mounted on a page.

"There were a bunch of kids that were really happy to see their mothers." Roy commented as he looked at a picture of Mike's sister taking her baby back from Mike at the end of the night. "JoAnne said that she thought the mothers had as hard of a time being away from their children as the children had being away from them maybe even worse."

"Yeah but it's good for the kids to learn that Mom and Dad need time away from them some times but that they will return," Hank added his wise understanding. "It will be easier on them the next time their left with a sitter."

"How did the Indian Chief handle the night?" Chet asked in curiosity.

"I think he was as glad to see his wife as the kids were to see their mothers," Roy answered, "he kept himself entertained by looking through Laura's picture books and little Jessica sat next to him most of the night and talked his ear off."

"What I want to know is how exactly Mike got locked in that room while we were cleaning up?" Cap asked as he stuck the last picture into the book.

"Oh that," Roy acknowledged his captain's question. "He's had to replace all the door knobs in the house because the operating mechanisms inside were all corroded but he can't get the screws to come loose on that door. When it's locked on the inside the only way to get it opened is with a key from the outside. Mike's going to have to drill the screws out to get the door knob off but he doesn't have a drill. I'll go by and help him take care of it after the wedding."

"I'll have his house keys so I can water the lawn and keep an eye on the place while he's on his honeymoon why don't we take care of it for him then," Hank suggested.

"So is that why Mikey isn't here today, because he was traumatized by his night with the children?" Marco asked.

"I don't think that's it," said James Thompson, Mike's replacement. "He made arraignments to trade with me a couple of weeks ago."

"He's at the house letting the movers with Laura's mother's grand piano in," Roy informed, "Along with several other things that belonged to her parents. He also found out that the people that bought her father's house wanted to get rid of the gazebo that her father made for her mother so he bought it and had it shipped with the piano as part of his wedding gift to Laura."

"That's real sweet," Johnny commented at the news, "That must be why he asked Dix to make sure Laura was working today."

"So Cap, what can we do to help you with the bachelor party?" Roy asked.

"Yeah Cap," Johnny added, "Just because you're the best man doesn't mean you have to do everything."

"Hey, I've got a recipe for drinks in that manuscript I was given," Chet offered.

"I don't know," Marco cautioned, "I've heard all about Sy McGregor's end of disaster elixirs, one drink and you're out for days"

"Mike requested that we keep the alcohol to a minimum," Hank vetoed the recipe "And it just so happens that we'll have several firefighters in attendance who will be reporting for duty the next morning. There'll also be some on duty firefighters stopping by if their runs will allow it."

"That's going to be interesting I wonder what the neighbors are going to think with all those fire engines parked near your house." John envisioned a crowd of neighbors standing around wondering what was going on.

00000

The day at Rampart had been hopping from the moment Laura clocked in. Just before twenty five women were brought in from a water aerobics class that had been exposed to a chlorine gas leak. An hour later twelve construction workers were brought in with burns and injuries after striking a gas line with a power saw and causing an explosion.

There were plenty more patients coming in one at a time for various reasons and they all had to wait their turn. It was around mid afternoon toward the supposed end of Laura's shift that the nurse from reception walked up to Dr. Early.

"Dr. Early there's an older gentlemen in the waiting room who's been there all day," the nurse reported. "I can't get him to fill out an admissions form or even tell me his name or why he's here. He seems a little confused."

"Sounds like I should have a talk with this man," Dr. Early announced before gesturing to the nurse to lead the way.

At the edge of the waiting room the nurse directed Dr. Early's gaze to ward a man with a dark complexion dressed in jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. The man's attention was focused down the hall as he sat still in the emergency room chair.

Dr. Early walked over and stood in front of the man. "Hello I'm Dr. Early can you tell me why you're here?"

The man looked at him then returned his gaze down the hall, Dr. Early responded by sitting in the chair next to him and reached out to take his wrist and count a pulse.

"One of your nurses sure tells the others what to do doesn't she." The man commented with out turning his attention from the hall way.

Dr. Early looked up and noticed Laura directing nurses as she wheeled a critically injured patient to the elevators to get him to surgery.

"That's our Medex she's more than just a nurse. She is actually able to treat some patients and order lab tests and x-rays. She sure makes my job a lot easier."

"She sure acts like she knows what she's doing," The man commented still focused on the now closed elevator doors.

"She does, she's even taught me a thing or two. That girl has worked some of the worst natural disasters all over the world before she came to work with us. She's worked in conditions I've never even had nightmares about."

"I've seen the pictures." The man responded still watching the elevator. "I always thought she was just handing out pills and changing bandages in a hospital between sight seeing. Instead I saw pictures of her pulling people out of collapsed buildings, even climbing into tiny openings to get to the people."

Dr. Early let go of the man's wrist feeling his pulse was with in normal ranges.

"There was one picture of her being carried away from some a collapsed building along with another man. She has blood all over her. And then on the next page in the book she was taped up with duct tape and had a pole with an IV attached to it taped to her back while she took care of the others that were injured. She looked like she was hurt worse than some of the ones she was helping."

"That sounds like something our Miss Elmer would do. She's a real feisty one, that girl." Dr. Early responded, "How is it that you know our Miss Elmer?"

"She's the first born of--," the man stopped mid sentence and slowly turned to look Dr Early eye to eye. "She's my granddaughter."

"You must be real proud of her." Dr. Early was beginning to realize that the man wasn't there to seek treatment but to watch his granddaughter in action.

The man's face shown with shame, "I haven't appreciated her much through the years, I didn't appreciate my daughter's choice in a mate, he wasn't one of our people, the marriage was an embarrassment to me and so where her children."

Dr. Early was beginning to understand clearly, "Well I can tell you that in the case of Miss Elmer it was quite a loss for you. She's one amazing person in more ways than one. I'm guessing you're here for her wedding the end of the week."

The Man nod his head, "My wife insisted on coming, she's always thought I was an old coot when it came to the grandchildren."

"Well look at the bright side of things you realized your mistake in time to let her know you were wrong." Dr. Early began giving the treatment he thought the man needed. "If I know Laura the way I think I do she'll be willing to listen to you when you tell her."

Dr. Early got up and rested his hand on the man's shoulder for just a moment before going back to work. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like I think Laura should be getting a lunch break before to long and with you here to eat with her we may be able to convince her to take it."

Chief Blackhawk remained in the waiting area watching for the rest of Laura's shift and he was able to get quite a show as he watched her do triage on the victims of a small bus accident and the motorcyclist they crashed into before she noticed he was there. Before her shift was over he left and when Laura got back to her apartment that night he wasn't in the mood to talk.

The bachelor party was a big smash, everyone who showed up even for a little while were allowed to look at the photo album Hank and Roy had put together and everyone howled. More than once he was sot out and teased about hurting the feelings of his first love and how he needed to be sure to apologize to big red next time he saw her.

"No NO, that's not how it is, Big Red's his first child," Captain Stanley educated them remembering the first visit Mike's mother made to the station. "I just hope Laura's ready to adopt her."

"I'm sure she'll be alright with it as long as he doesn't try to bring her to bed with them," Carlos added influenced by his forth beer.

Mike grinned and shook his head and he nursed his bottomless glass of root beer. For the most part Mike was quieter than usual and it was clear he wasn't really enjoying himself just enduring the spectacle.

With the help of family and friends Mike was able to keep Laura away from the house while he gave the gazebo a couple coats of paint and decorated the room she was planning to use to get dress in the day of the wedding.

On Mike's last shift before the wedding he received an express air delivery at the station. Roses and clippings from the bushes that were grown from her mother's bridal bouquet. Mike convinced the Captain that they needed to do an inspection in the area of Captain Stanley's house, they had a friend and neighbor who was willing to build a custom made bridal bouquet and prepare the cuttings to be planted after the wedding.

The night of the wedding rehearsal it rained so the rehearsal was moved to the DeSoto house at the last minute. Clearly there wasn't a whole lot of rehearsing done but they all enjoyed dinner together and talked about how things were supposed to take place the next day. The highlight of the whole night was the weather report on the ten o'clock news the predicted sunny skies for the wedding.

Mike spent the night before the wedding at the Stanley home and Hank had his work cut out for him getting Mike dressed in his tux. After Mike made six attempts Hank finally just sat him down and tied his shoes for him with a smile.

JoAnne Desoto, Emily Stanley, Dixie and Marie worked together from first light to string flowered garland along the pergola and gazebo while Roy and Johnny and Carlos worked together to set up all the chairs and tables. The rain the night before had the yard sparkling and all the flowers Laura had planted were in full bloom. The setting was perfect, absolutely perfect.

Laura was led blindfolded into the room Mike had prepared for her and when she was allowed to open her eyes and look around she started to cry. When Carlos was free to watch the kids Melinda and Laura's grandmother worked together to get Laura ready for her big day while the caterer set up the wedding cake and the guests began to arrive. Joanne and Roy took over with child care while Carlos slipped into his tux and Johnny worked on setting up the ceremonial fire that would be part of the wedding ceremony.

Mike and Hank took their place next to the Chaplin as Mike swayed nervously and Hank did everything in his power to calm him down. Mike's sister sat at Mike's keyboard playing prelude music and watching closely for the sign to start playing the wedding march.

It was time to make the finale preparations as Roy helped Robert and Chris tie their ties and Joanne was helping Jasmine get her lace gloves on. When she turned to help Jessica get her gloves on she was no where to be found.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Mike was pacing near the front of the group between Hank and Johnny. Hank had a hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down and Johnny was offering to teach him the Indian two step as he waited for the right time to light the fire. Johnny had been asked to help out with the native American parts they were going to work into the ceremony and was given the option to wear a tux or his native American costume. Johnny had chosen the tux because he didn't want to be accused of over stepping his authority. Usually the wedding would be performed by a chief and he was never that highly respected in his tribe.

Mike's mother had happy tears in her eyes as she stretched up in front of her son straitening his collar and moving a few stray hairs back in place with her hand. Just then Chris Desoto came running up to the Chaplin and whispered something in his ear and then he left with the Chaplin following him into the house.

Mike was curiously watching the door the Chaplin went through when he appeared in it again motioning for Mike to come to him. Starting to feel a little nervous Mike moved toward the beckoning Chaplin with haste and Captain Stanley best man on his heals. The two men were lead up the stairs to the hallway outside the room Laura and her assistants were in. Standing in front of the door with her feet spread as far apart as she could get them and her hands wide against the door was little Jessica. She was wearing her fancy little dress and her stethoscope around her neck.

"Her's My arua and you can give her way," The girl declared defiantly to her father who was kneeling in front of her in his tuxedo.

"Jessica, open the door and let us out and I'll explain everything to you." They heard Laura calling from behind the door.

"Jessie, sweetheart," Carlos was pleading for her to listen to him, "It's not what you think honey, Laura is just going to get married to Uncle Mike here you'll still get to see her and she'll still be your favorite aunt."

"I not gonna let you give her way, her's my Aura,"

Carlos placed his hands over his face in frustration while he decided how to deal with his daughter, Mike sighed in relief that it wasn't something more serious, and Hank rubbed his upper lip covering his smile and faint chuckle with his hand.

After taking in and letting out a deep breath Mike turned and moved to the linen closet where the key to the room hung on a nail. Once he was hidden behind the opened door Mike allowed a snicker and another sigh to escape before reaching for the key. It wasn't where it was supposed to be.

"Has somebody already gotten the key to that room?" Mike asked stretching his head around the closet door.

"I eated it," Jessica declared, "Her's my Aura and I keepin her."

Mike was about to panic when he heard quiet laughter coming from behind the door. Some how he realized that everything was going to be just fine and tomorrow he and Laura were going to be laughing about it, In fact he knew they would be laughing about it for the rest of their lives together.

Hank clapped the nervous groom on the back. "You three negotiate visiting privileges." Indicating Mike, Carlos and little Jessica, "You," he directed to the Chaplin, "Referee," "I'll take care of getting them out of there."

Hank then walked up to the door and reached over the top of Jessica giving the door a knock. "Just relax in there it'll take a few minutes but we're going to try getting you all out through the window."

"But her my Aura," the little girl realized she was defeated.

Hank dropped to one knee and tried to match the girl's eye level, "She still will be, but you're just going to have to share her a little bit." Hank then touched the young girl on the nose with his outstretched finger before rising to his feet and making his way back outside.

Hank hurried up the isle stopping in the middle, "Excuse me everyone may I have your attention," Hank called as he turned in slow circles. "We are experiencing some technical difficulties and there will be a slight delay. I assure you that this wedding is going to happen today just a little off schedule so please be patient." "Doctors there is a little girl upstairs who has swallowed a key could you possible go up and check her out and make sure she's alright?" everyone sighed and giggled slightly at that piece of information, at least most everybody as three doctors and one nurse got up from their chairs and headed for their patient, each one smirking to themselves.

"Roy," the captain in him was now in full command. "Do you have a ladder at your house that can reach the second floor?"

"Yes Cap,"

"Would you go get it please? Chet you and Marco go with him and give him a hand."

"Marco can we take your truck? My family walked since we live close and knew there was going to be limited parking."

As the three off duty firemen were gathering to head to Roy's house Hank heard the very familiar sound of air brakes coming from the street and hurried through the side gate to investigate. When he reached the front of the house he took in the fabulous view of Engine 51 doubled parked in front of the house with the squad parked behind them. Dismounting were the on duty crew of the station in dress uniforms.

"I hope were not late," the captain called out as she rounded the front of the engine. "There just can't be a Mike Stoker wedding with out Big Red in attendance."

Hank who was still in captain mode ran forward. "Call in a silent alarm, get a ladder and an air chisel to the back yard."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa there," Captain Hookraider called. Then placing his hand on his chest, "Uniform," he then placed his hand on Hank's chest, "Tuxedo," he then placed his fingers on his caller, "Captains bars," and then placed his fingers on the cuffs of Hanks sleeves, "Cuff links, Hank ol boy this is my crew and my command, now let's start by telling me what's going on here."

Hank sighed and hung his head, "Sorry, your right, please forgive me." Hank then looked his friend in the face, "We have several women trapped in a second story room. The door knob is defective and corroded and was locked by a two year old trying to keep her favorite aunt from being given away. Said two year old then swallowed the key and only way to get the door open with out breaking it down."

As Hank finished informing his counterpart of the problem he found six men looking at him with a 'you've got to be joking' stare and then all of a sudden they realized he wasn't and they all burst out laughing and nearly doubled over.

"All right boys your heard him, get the ladder and an air chisel to the back yard. Hank what's the air chisel for?"

"Well," Hank blushed a little, "The door knob needs to be replaced but Mike can't get it off because the screws holding it together are corroded I thought since you were here we could take care of that so said two year old doesn't lock someone else in that room five minutes from now."

Captain Stan Hookradier let out a new round of laughter and slapped his counterpart on the shoulder then pulling the handy talkie to his mouth and calling in a silent alarm before following his men around the back laughing as they walked.

In the back yard the wedding guest were gathering around the ladder that had been quickly raised to the open window. Carlos carrying little Jessica, Mike and the Chaplin had made their way to the back yard and were standing next to Chief Blackhawk who was again in full ceremonial headdress. They were all waiting for their wives and wife to be to be brought down the ladder.

First two firemen with the air chisel entered the room as a third stood at the top of the ladder waiting to receive the first of their victims. Mike watched as a blanket was wrapped around Laura to hide her dress and avoid bad luck if Mike were to see it before the wedding. Then Mrs. Blackhawk was helped out the window and eased down to her waiting husband, Melinda was next but because she had a long dress and heals it was deemed safest if she were carried over the firefighter's shoulders they were only a couple rungs toward the ground when Laura came to the open window and started calling.

"Romeo, Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?" Everyone laughed and Mike stepped forward with out stretched arms and through his laughter called.

"Hark what light through yonder window breaks," before turning to his best man, "Now how does it go after that?" no one could stop laughing long enough to answer the love struck groom until Captain Hookraider found his voice.

"Well Stoker, I believe this next rescue belongs to you." He gestured toward the ladder and Mike didn't hesitate to start his climb. Just to make sure he was safe another fireman followed him up.

With a long dress, soft soled moccasins and a blanket wrapped around her to conceal her dress the only safe way to get Laura down was over the shoulder. Well they could have let her walk out the door that the other firemen now had open, but what was the fun in that.

Laura laughed all the way down the ladder and when Mike stepped on to the ground everyone cheered. Laura was placed on her feet still laughing as she wrapped her arms around Mike's chest.

"Well this is going to be a wedding we'll be laughing about for some time to come." Stan stepped up next to Hank.

"Better yet, both my wife and one of Laura's friends have had a movie camera going from the beginning and caught all this on film," Hank added.

Then Laura noticed something over Mike's shoulder. "That's just like the one my Father built for my Mother." Laura responded in complete awe.

"NO," Mike answered with a warm smile. "It is the one your Father built for your Mother."

Laura looked Mike in the eyes as her's filled and began to over flow. "But how?"

"The people who bought your father's house had something else in mind. I couldn't let them sell it for scrap mettle now could I?"

Laura melted in to Mike's arms, "I'm the luckiest person in the whole world."

"Oh no your not," Mike argued, "I am."

The emotions were high, Mike's head was tilted, Laura's lips were puckered as the two heads came closer and closer.

"Tat, tat, tat, tat," a sharp chastising chatter spilt the air as Grandma Blackhawk pushed the bride and groom apart. Mike looked at her is total shock then he noticed the corners of her mouth turning up slightly, "None of that now, you're not married yet."

Grandma then took the blushing bride by the shoulders and led her toward the house while Hank took his charge by the shoulders and guided him into position, "Just a few more minutes now, hang in there pal."

The ladder and equipment were quickly stowed back on the engine and six firemen in dress uniforms stood near the gate.

Johnny started the fire then moved to drape an Indian blanket woven in shades of blue around Mike's shoulders.

"What's this for?" Hank questioned as he straitened the tux under the blanket.

"It represents the past loves and passions that will be discarded before entering into the marriage." Johnny answered as Mike performed his own version of the Indian two step under the blanket. Soon the flower girls started walking down the isle followed by the maid of honor.

Mike's eyes locked on the back door were Carlos was escorting Laura toward the top of the isle. When they came out the door Mike notice that Carlos was on one side of Laura but Jessica was holding fast to her skirt on the other side. Laura had a blanket similar to his draped around her shoulder's her make up and been touched up, her hair combed back in place, her eyes were sparkling, she was beautiful in every sense of the word.

As they reached the top of the isle the wedding march began to play and Laura's grandfather stepped forward and stood in front of Laura and her escorts and started chanting something in his native language.

The music stopped as Mike's sister sat confused and Mike was angrily starting to move toward the Indian Chief to give him a piece of his mind in the form of a knuckle sandwich. Then Johnny placed a hand on his shoulder in complete understanding.

"Wait," Johnny whispered, "This is a good thing." Together they watched as Chief Blackhawk place a very ornate and colorful necklace over Laura's head and then proceeded to place some kind of hair pieces at both sides of her head. Laura looked as if she were surprised and then grew emotional but happy as her grandfather continued to chant.

Mike waited anxiously ready to spring into action as Johnny continued to whisper. "I don't understand all the words he's not talking in Lakota but I can tell that he is honoring her for her works of bravery and sacrifice. The necklace he put around her neck is made of bear claws and represents bravery and strength and in many nations is the mark of a healer. The pendant at the end is a Medicine wheel it symbolized the individual journey we each must take to find our own path in life. There's lots of red and white in the things he's presenting her they represent success and peace." Mike started to relax at Johnny's description of what was happening as the narrator continued. "I can't tell for sure from here but the hairpieces look like eagle feathers sculpted in silver. If I'm right I suspect on closer inspection you'll find one eagle feather for each disaster Laura has worked."

"You must have got through to him by showing him all of her picture books." Hank offered with a squeeze of Mike's shoulder.

Mike was filled with emotion and all he could do was nod his head.

After a moment the chanting stopped and the Indian Chief stepped aside motioning for Carlos, Laura, and Jessica to continue. As they took their first steps the music started up again and Mike stood at attention.

"Who gives this woman in matrimony to this man?" the Chaplin asked as the party reached the fire.

"I do," Carlos was quick and emotional.

The Chaplin then looked at little Jessica still holding tight to Laura's skirt. "And you young lady?" the crowd giggled.

Jessica had a thoughtful look on her face before stretching her head around Laura to look at Mike. "You promise I get'a visit with my Aura?" The giggles flowed again.

"I promise," Mike agreed.

"Can I gibe her hugs, and talk on a phone?"

"Of course," Mike agreed again.

Jessica let out a deep breath, "Otay I sare."

"I'll take that as a yes." The Chaplin smiled and Carlos stepped around Laura to collect his daughter before taking his seat.

Laura then shed her blanket handing it to her maid of honor and Mike took his cue and shed his blanket draping it over Johnny's shoulder before stepping next to Laura and taking her hands in his.

Mike and Laura listened carefully to everything that was said and spoke their "I do's," with emphasis and passion. Hank was quick to step forward when the call came for the rings. Just before the Chaplin pronounced them husband and wife Johnny stepped behind the couple and met with Laura's grandmother. Taking a corner of the mostly white blanket she was presenting he worked with her to drape the blanket around both their shoulders representing that they were now one.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Were the words Mike and Laura had been waiting for. As they came together in a passionate kiss both Johnny and Roy and all the other paramedics in the crowd were wondering if they would have to resuscitate them.

The applause and cheers rang out along with the tones for the crew on duty as they were called to a Motor Vehicle accident with injuries. When everyone had settled down again Johnny was given a nod and he stepped behind the fire facing the newlywed couple and repeated a poem.

Now you will feel no rain,  
For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold,  
For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now you will feel no more loneliness,  
For each of you will be a constant companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies,  
But there is only one life ahead of you.

When Johnny was finished speaking Laura accepted a special throwaway bouquet from Melinda and let it fly with out warning. Once in the air the bouquet broke in to five pieces all going in different directions to be caught by her close friend Marie, Mike's sister Sarah, Jennifer Desoto, one of the ER nurses and Dr. Brackett.

The party got underway as the cake was cut and shared and chairs moved out of the middle and around the yard. There was some dancing and Grandpa Blackhawk even taught everyone the snake dance.

Roy and Hank were gathered at the punch bowl getting a drink when Roy got a funny look on his face.

"What is it Roy?" Hank asked.

"Well Cap how do you feel about going through all of this again?" Roy gave as an answer.

Hank followed his gaze and noticed Marco and Marie in the Gazebo. Marco was on one knee holding Marie's hand and the early afternoon sun reflected off the diamond Marco was slipping on her finger.

"So are we going to make the fireman daycare part of the tradition for everyone getting married at station 51?" Hank smiled at Roy.

"I'm game if you are," Roy responded.

**Not the end but time for a new beginning.**

**Author's note: ** I want to thank everyone who left reviews, I needed them to help fuel me on this one and the patience to endure all my delays. I really want to thank Theana for helping me with some of the research into Native American customs and traditions. I really bit off more than I could chew on that one. If I made any mistakes I hope you can forgive me and still enjoy the story.

If anyone who understands Latino Wedding traditions wants to tackle Marco and Marie's wedding they're welcome to it. I've already promised someone that my next story will be a Jennifer Desoto story.

Thanks for reading Let me know how you like the story as a whole.


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